US Military Osprey Aircraft with 8 onboard crashes near Japan’s Yakushima Island

Yakushima: A US military V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed into the ocean near Japan’s Yakushima Island on Wednesday, with eight people on board. The incident occurred at 2:47 pm local time, and eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft with fire blowing from its left engine as it descended into the sea.

Japan’s coast guard spokesperson stated that they had no further details about the incident, including the status of those on board. The US forces in the region reported that they are still in the process of gathering information.

The Osprey’s deployment in Japan has been a source of controversy, with critics expressing concerns about the hybrid aircraft’s safety. However, both the US military and Japan maintain that it is a secure aircraft.

A similar incident occurred in August when a US Osprey crashed off the coast of northern Australia during a routine military exercise, resulting in the tragic loss of three US Marines. In December 2016, another Osprey crash-landed in the ocean off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, leading to a temporary grounding of the aircraft by the US military.

Further details are awaited.

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