A fatal incident occurred as a U.S. Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan, resulting in at least one fatality
On Wednesday, a U.S. military Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan’s Yakushima Island in southern Kagoshima prefecture, resulting in at least one fatality, as reported by a spokesperson from the Japan Coast Guard.
Initially believed to have eight individuals on board, it was later confirmed that six people were present during the crash.
The spokesperson noted a lack of further details regarding the other occupants and the cause of the incident. The Japan Coast Guard received notification about the crash at approximately 2:47 p.m. local time (12:47 a.m. ET) and has dispatched a patrol boat and aircraft from the 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters to the crash site
On Wednesday afternoon, the Yakushima Airport Management Office in Kagoshima Prefecture was contacted by the US military, seeking clearance for an emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport, as conveyed by a Kagoshima prefectural official to CNN.
The official did not specify whether the request originated from the US Marines or the Air Force.
This incident is the most recent in a series of crashes involving Osprey military aircraft, with several accidents reported over the years.
In August of this year, three US Marines lost their lives, and several others sustained severe injuries when an Osprey crashed during military exercises in Australia. In 2022, five US Marines perished in a crash of their MV-22B Osprey plane during a training mission near Glamis, California.
Additionally, in the same year, four US service members were killed when their Osprey crashed during NATO training exercises in Norway.
The Osprey is a remarkably versatile aircraft capable of vertical takeoff similar to a helicopter, while also possessing the ability to achieve high-speed cruising like a conventional turboprop plane with wings.
Although generally considered safe for flight, the Osprey has encountered mechanical and operational challenges throughout its history since its introduction in the 1980s, as noted by CNN military analyst and retired US Air Force Col. Cedric Leighton.
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