The Coast Guard says the rescue mission is now classified as a recovery effort for nine people who went missing, including a Marine from Colorado, after a mid-air collision near Southern California.

Petty Officer First Class Allison Conroy said Sunday that after over 60 hours of searching over 644 square miles of ocean, there was little chance of finding survivors among the seven military personnel aboard the Coast Guard C-130 and the two in the Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter.

The Coast Guard says one of nine people missing after an air collision off the coast of Southern California is a Marine from Colorado.

Officials say 1st Lt. Thomas Claiborne of Parker was aboard a Marine Corps Super Cobra helicopter that collided with a Coast Guard C-130 cargo plane on Thursday.

The 26-year-old Claiborne and another Marine were aboard the helicopter. The C-130 had a crew of seven Coast Guard members.

Claiborne's father, Kenneth Claiborne of Parker, said Saturday the family didn't want to comment publicly.

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