5-12-2023 (TOKYO) The United States military announced on December 4 that search teams have located the majority of the wreckage and believe they have found five bodies underwater following the crash of a US military Osprey aircraft in southwestern Japan last week.
The Air Force Special Operations Command confirmed that dive teams were able to identify remains and the main fuselage of the aircraft wreckage. “The dive teams were able to confirm five additional crew members from the original team of eight that were involved with the crash,” stated the command in a press release, adding that the identities of the deceased are yet to be determined.
The primary focus now is on bringing the airmen home and providing support to their family members, according to the statement.
The CV-22 Osprey, operated by the US Air Force, went down in the sea off the coast of Yakushima Island on November 29, with eight people on board. The body of one victim, identified as Staff Sergeant Jacob Galliher, was recovered on the same day.
On December 4, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported, citing unidentified sources, that the front part of the aircraft, possibly including the cockpit, had been found.
Following the crash, the Japanese government called on US Forces in Japan to suspend the use of the Osprey, which has been involved in several fatal accidents, until further safety checks can be conducted. However, the US side has effectively rejected the request, potentially straining the already complex relationship between US forces and the local communities hosting them.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Defence, the US has six CV-22 Ospreys stationed at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo and 24 MV-22 Ospreys at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on the southern island of Okinawa. Despite the Japanese government’s request, the US continued to operate Ospreys on the island, as stated by the ministry on November 30.
In response to concerns, Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh released a statement on December 1, asserting that Osprey flights have been suspended within the Air Force unit responsible for the crashed plane. She emphasized that Osprey aircraft in Japan only operate after undergoing rigorous maintenance and safety checks.
The V-22 Osprey has faced previous incidents, including a crash in 2000 that resulted in the death of 19 Marines in Arizona, which was attributed to pilot error. In August of this year, three US Marines were killed and five others critically injured when a V-22 Osprey crashed during drills off the coast of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory.
