arch and Rescue Underway: US Special Operations Aircraft Crashes off Coast of Japan

Search and rescue operations are in full swing after a US special operations aircraft crashed off the shore of Japan’s Yakushima Island on Wednesday.

The aircraft involved was an Air Force CV-22B Osprey, assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, carrying eight airmen when it experienced an "aircraft mishap" during a "routine training mission," according to Air Force Special Operations Command.

A spokesperson for the Japanese Coast Guard informed CNN that at least one person was killed in the crash, although US officials have not confirmed this information. The status of the remaining crew members is currently unknown, with family notifications ongoing as of Wednesday morning.

"Emergency personnel are on scene conducting search and rescue operations," stated Air Force Special Operations Command in a release. "The cause of the mishap is currently unknown."

The Japanese Coast Guard was alerted to the crash at approximately 2:47 p.m. local time, according to the spokesperson. Following the incident, the government of Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture has requested that all Ospreys on the island chain be grounded, although the US military official mentioned that no stand-down order has been issued thus far.

"Given the concerns over the danger of Ospreys, as such an unexpected incident became a reality, the only thing I can say is I regret it very much," expressed Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki during a news conference.

The CV-22B Osprey is designed for conducting long-range infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply missions for special operations forces. It possesses the capability to execute missions that require both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft.

It's worth noting that the Osprey has a history of mechanical and operational issues leading to service member fatalities, dating back to 1992. This incident comes mere months after three US Marines lost their lives while flying in an MV-22B Osprey during a military exercise in Australia.

However, statistically, the V-22’s mishap rate is lower compared to other aircraft. Marine aviation spokesman Maj. Jorge Hernandez informed Marine Corps Times in 2022 that the Marine variant of the aircraft, the MV-22, had a mishap rate of 3.16 per 100,000 flight hours.

Wednesday’s incident also follows roughly two weeks after five Army special operations aviators were tragically killed in a training flight crash in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.<