A US military aircraft, identified as a tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey, crashed into the sea near Yakushima island in western Japan. The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. local time, with witnesses reporting that the aircraft's left engine appeared to be on fire as it descended. Fishing boats in the area discovered wreckage and rescued three individuals from the water, one of whom was "non-responsive." Media reports suggest one crew member has died, and the condition of the others remains unclear.
The crash follows a previous Osprey incident in northern Australia in August, resulting in the death of three US marines. The United States forces in the region are currently gathering information about the recent crash, and the cause is yet to be determined. The US military pledged to defend Japan after World War II, maintaining approximately 54,000 troops in the country, primarily in the strategically vital southern island chain.
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Japan, which also operates Osprey aircraft, expressed no immediate plans to ground the aircraft but requested the US military to investigate the crash. The Osprey, developed jointly by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, is capable of flying like both a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. Its deployment in Japan has been controversial, facing criticism for alleged accident-proneness. Despite concerns, both the US military and Japan assert the Osprey's safety.
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This incident adds to the history of Osprey accidents, including a crash off the coast of northern Australia in August 2023 and a crash off Japan's southern island of Okinawa in December 2016. The latter led to a temporary grounding of the Osprey by the US military.
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