SAN DIEGO _ Military authorities are investigating a Wednesday morning training accident at Camp Pendleton that sent 15 Marines to multiple area hospitals after their amphibious assault vehicle caught fire.
Five Marines have been listed in critical condition at two different civilian hospitals. Five more were listed in serious condition.
Eight of the 15 Marines injured were sent to the burn center at the University of California, San Diego medical center. Four of the injured were taken to University of California, Irvine medical center in Orange County. One Marine has been taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and is in stable condition. Finally, two Marines went to Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital with minor injuries.
In a press release issued Wednesday afternoon, officials at 1st Marine Division said that the service members were seriously hurt in the San Mateo section of the sprawling base during the scheduled land-based portion of a pre-deployment Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation involving an assault amphibious vehicle, or "amtrack."
The Marines involved were from 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion.
Officials confirmed that the armored amtrack caught on fire.
The massive, tracked vehicles are designed to plunge through the water and then roll up onto shore, carrying Marines from ship to land.
In 2013, a Marine at the Mojave Desert base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., died and four others were injured when their amtrack caught afire.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines and their families as they receive medical care," the statement read.
Division spokesman 1st Lt. Paul Gainey said that the Corps will continue to provide updates as more details about the mishap become available.
