In an unfortunate incident off the shores of Japan near Yakushima Island, a US military V-22 Osprey, carrying a crew of eight, crashed, according to a confirmation by a coastguard spokesperson.
Responding swiftly, the coast guard dispatched patrol boats and aircraft to the crash site. Officials reported the discovery of a person and debris in the ocean, shedding light on the Wednesday crash of a US military Osprey carrying eight individuals in the southern region of Japan.
“At 2:47 pm (0547 GMT) today, we received information about the US military’s Osprey crash off Yakushima Island,” relayed the coastguard spokeswoman. “Eight crew members were on board, but as of now, no further details are available.”
Situated south of Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, Yakushima Island became the focal point of this unfortunate event. This crash follows a prior Osprey accident in northern Australia back in August, where among the 23 individuals on board, three US marines lost their lives during a military exercise on Melville Island, north of Darwin, involving locally stationed troops.
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In December 2016, another Osprey crash-landed in the ocean near Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, prompting a temporary grounding of these aircraft by the US military.
The tilt-rotor aircraft, with the capability to function as both a helicopter and a fixed-wing plane, finds use in the US Marines, US Navy, and the Japan Self Defense Forces.
The presence of Osprey aircraft in Japan has stirred controversy, with critics highlighting its accident-prone nature. Despite concerns raised, both the US military and Japan maintain their stance on the aircraft’s safety.
