US and Japan conclude search in fatal Osprey plane crash
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The search for the aircraft that went down off of Japan’s south-west island of Yakushima on Nov 29, 2023, lasted more than 40 days.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO – The United States and Japan finished a search, rescue and salvage operation for an Osprey military aircraft and its eight airmen who died
The search that lasted more than 40 days for the aircraft that went down off of Japan’s south-west island of Yakushima on Nov 29, 2023, involved more than 1,000 personnel, 46 aircraft and unmanned underwater systems, US Air Force Special Operations Command said in a statement on Jan 12.
Bodies of seven of the eight airmen on board were recovered along with the majority of the aircraft.
“Our thoughts remain with the families and squadron mates of our CV-22 aircrew and we extend our sincerest gratitude to every asset who assisted in the search,” Rear-Admiral Jeromy Williams, commander of Special Operations Command Pacific, said in the statement.
An investigation of the incident is still underway, but the US Department of Defence grounded its fleet of several hundred of the planes in December 2023 to look into a possible equipment problem for the plane, which has been involved in several deadly crashes.
The plane has two propeller engines on its wings that can be tilted to make it fly like a helicopter, so it can land in tight spaces. The aircraft is made by a unit of Boeing and the Bell Helicopter unit of Textron. BLOOMBERG
