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Leflore County: The site of the fatal Marine plane crash

Sarah Fowler
Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Leflore County is a sparsely populated, flat vista of rural farmland dotted with small towns. Monday evening, it also became the epicenter of national attention surrounding the fiery crash of a KC-130T military plane.

The Marine Corps plane crashed into a soybean field on the Leflore side of the boundary between it and Sunflower County. All 16 people — 15 Marines and one Navy corpsman — on board were killed. 

Full coverage:15 Marines, 1 Navy corpsman killed in Mississippi plane crash

Located in the northwestern part of the state with a population of approximately 31,000, Leflore County is known for its cotton and catfish farming.

“It’s just typical Mississippi Delta farmland composed of fish ponds, soybean fields, corn and cotton," said Andy Braswell, an employee with Mississippi State University Extension Service who serves as  county coordinator in Leflore County.

Braswell said he is responsible for agriculture and natural resources as well as 4-H and livestock in the area. 

"I ride all of those country roads all the times, checking crops and looking at fields," he said. "It’s just flat farmland, that’s about all it is."

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The scene of the fatal military plane crash that killed 16.

Lush, green fields, taller than a man's head, surround the site of the crash. Flat farmlands stretch as far as the eye can see. A single church dots the background. 

A view from overhead shows the charred wreckage, its flames and smoke extinguished. 

The wreckage and debris was flung to a 5-mile radius, with authorities searching the field where the tanker crashed as well as the field across U.S. 82.  

Six members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol had the intersection of U.S. 82 and County Road 287 blocked Tuesday, only letting those authorized to pass through. 

Amid rising temperatures, Leflore County Coroner Debra Sanders rode a dune buggy down a dirt road, taking more body bags to the scene. 

Therese Apel contributed to this report.

Contact Sarah Fowler at sfowler@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7303. Follow Sarah on Twitter and Facebook.