c22-osprey-crash-japan
V22 Osprey Crash in Tokyo – A U.S. Air Force Osprey aircraft crashed into the sea off the tiny Japanese island of Yakushima on Tuesday, killing at least one person and leaving seven others missing.
The U.S. military and Japanese authorities have been working together to search for the missing crew members. The U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command said in a statement on Friday that “sincere gratitude” is extended to all the units and Japanese partners involved in the search.
The search and rescue operation includes air, surface, and subsurface searches of the water and coastlines in the vicinity of Yakushima. The Japan Coast Guard said Thursday that it had deployed side-scan sonar to scour the seabed for evidence of the ill-fated Osprey.
Several pieces of debris believed to be from the aircraft were recovered from the water Wednesday, in addition to a large, empty orange life raft. The U.S. Air Force said not long after the crash that the Osprey had been performing a routine training mission when it went down.
The crash has raised concerns about the safety of the Osprey aircraft, which has a history of crashes. Japan’s Minister of Defense said Thursday that the country had asked the U.S. to stop flying Ospreys over Japan until the aircraft could be confirmed safe.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel expressed his “sincere gratitude” to the Japanese Coast Guard, Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and local community and fishermen who are assisting in the search for the crew.
“Our thoughts are with the servicemembers and their families. First and foremost, our focus is on the ongoing search and rescue operations, and we’re praying for a safe return,” Emanuel said.
The search for the missing crew members continues, but the fate of the seven airmen remains unknown.