Transcript for Desperate search for US Marines continues

headlines tonight, and the desperate search in the air and in the water for five U.S. Marines after a midair refueling accident off the coast of Japan. Here's ABC's chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz with what she's learned tonight. Reporter: Tonight, with five Marines still missing, and the search hampered by strong winds and low visibility, time is running out. The f-18 fighter, like this one, was attempting to refuel in the middle of the night, with the massive kc-130 tanker, essentially a flying gas station, when the two aircraft collided midair. The refueler has retractable hoses with baskets on the end the fighter jet must plug its own nozzle into the moving basket. The aircraft coming within 20 feet of each other, using night vision goggles. Although the f-18 has radar, it's night. You have no visual horizon. There's a dark sea under you. Visual illusions are easy to mistake, especially when you're trying to rendezvous close to another airplane. Reporter: The two Marines who were found yesterday, one dead and one alive, were in the fighter jet which has ejection seats, unlike the kc-130. There is growing concern about the frequency of accidents in the U.S. Military. A "Military times" report found that in five years, the accident rate for U.S. War planes has climbed nearly 40%. So, let's get back to Martha Raddatz with us live again tonight. And Martha, we know the two Marines were able to eject from the fighter jet. One surviving. What are we learning about the five Marines in the refueling plane? Reporter: Well, that refueling aircraft, David, does not have ejection seats, as we said. There are parachutes stowed on the plane, but it would have been difficult to get those on quickly enough after a midair collision. But they will keep up that search for the missing as long as possible. David? All right, Martha Raddatz, thank you. Late today, some powerful and moving scenes from Houston.

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