TWENTYNINE PALMS — Officials say a Marine has collapsed and died after a day of training in the California desert in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan.

The Marine Corps announced Sunday that the Marine, part of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., collapsed during personal time Saturday night at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

He was flown to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he was pronounced dead.

The death is under investigation and the Marine’s name is being withheld while relatives are notified.

The unit was undergoing the Enhanced Mojave Viper pre-deployment training program in preparation for going to Afghanistan.

The death comes three days after seven Marines were killed about 200 miles away when two helicopters collided during training.

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