TOKYO, Dec 1 — Japan’s coastguard mentioned a significant search operation failed once more at this time to find the primary wreckage of an Osprey US navy plane or the seven airmen still missing.
The tilt-rotor CV-22B Osprey crashed on Wednesday off the island of Yakushima with eight crew on board, within the newest mishap involving the versatile plane.
One man was discovered and later declared lifeless the identical day, however the coastguard mentioned as darkness fell at this time that the opposite seven remained unaccounted for regardless of a large search.
It mentioned in a press release {that a} dive search was carried out after an unidentified object was detected by sonar however that “no clues have been discovered concerning the missing folks. We haven’t any different new info on them.”
Yesterday, divers investigated different unidentified objects discovered by sonar in waters round 30 metres deep that turned out to be rocks.
“Seven Airmen are in DUSTWUN standing which means ‘responsibility status-whereabouts unknown’. At this time, we are able to verify one set of stays has been recovered,” US Air Force Special Operations Command mentioned.
Photos from the world after the incident confirmed what seemed to be an overturned yellow life raft and different particles together with what regarded like a part of an plane rotor blade.
An emergency administration official within the Kagoshima area the place the crash occurred mentioned police obtained info that the plane had been “spewing fireplace from a left engine”.
Broadcaster NHK quoted a neighborhood fisherwoman as saying she noticed the plane crash into the ocean, sending up a column of water as excessive as 100 metres.
Wreckage believed to belong to the U.S. navy plane V-22 Osprey that crashed into the ocean is collected at Anbo port at Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan November 30, 2023, on this photograph taken by Kyodo. — Kyodo pic by way of eNM
Other crashes
The Osprey, which might function like a helicopter or a fixed-wing turboprop aircraft, has suffered a string of deadly accidents.
In August, a crash in northern Australia killed three US marines whereas 4 extra died in one other crash in Norway final yr throughout Nato coaching workouts.
Three Marines died in 2017 when one other Osprey crashed off Australia’s north coast and in 2000 19 Marines died when their Osprey crashed throughout drills in Arizona.
In 2016, an MV-22 Osprey crash-landed off Okinawa, prompting the United States to quickly floor the plane in Japan after the accident sparked anger amongst locals.
Collected object looks-like a life raft believed belonging to the U.S. navy plane MV-22 Osprey that crashed into the ocean off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan, is seen via a live-camera display screen recorded by Japan Coast Guard vessel Takachiho, November 29, 2023, on this handout photograph taken by Japan Coast Guard and supplied by Japan Coast Guard. — tenth Regional Coast Guard Headquarters-Japan Coast Guard handout pic by way of eNM
Still working
Yesterday, Defence Minister Minoru Kihara mentioned he had requested the US navy to droop flights once more — aside from search and rescue operations — and that Japan’s navy had halted utilizing its personal Ospreys pending security checks.
But Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh informed a press briefing in Washington yesterday that she was not conscious of any official request and that “the Ospreys are still working in Japan”, in line with a transcript.
She added that “if the investigation concludes that there must be extra steps taken, we’ll… definitely try this, however presently, the investigation is underway on what occurred”.
Kihara informed reporters on Friday he had “considerations about continuation of Osprey flights regardless of not sufficient rationalization over flight security”.
Singh mentioned Washington was “eternally grateful for the federal government of Japan and their Coast Guard for serving to in our search and restoration efforts”.
The US navy has round 54,000 personnel in Japan. — eNM
