Authorities search for missing US helicopter carrying five Marines

A US Marine Corps helicopter carrying five troops from Nevada to California is missing (Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

A search is under way for a Marine Corps helicopter carrying five troops from Nevada to California that was reported overdue as a devastating storm hit the state.

The Marines were flying a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Creech Air Force Base, north west of Las Vegas, where they had been doing unit-level training and were returning home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, defence officials said.