Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning as a U.S. military Osprey aircraft, carrying six individuals, crashed into the sea near an island off southern Japan. Officials have confirmed the death of at least one person in the incident.
According to a spokesperson for the regional coast guard, the crash occurred near Yakushima, an island situated approximately 45 miles south of the Kagoshima region on the southern main island of Kyushu. Initially, the coast guard reported that eight people were on board, but this figure was later revised.
The coast guard’s earlier statement indicated that one individual, a man, was recovered from the sea approximately 1.8 miles from Anbo Port, near the eastern side of Yakushima. The man was found unconscious and not breathing. Despite efforts to resuscitate him with CPR, the unnamed crew member was later pronounced dead upon arrival at Anbo Port.
Details about the condition of the aircraft and the remaining individuals on board were not immediately available.
The coast guard reported that a member of the public alerted authorities by calling 118, Japan’s emergency hotline, at 2:47 p.m. local time. In response, the coast guard promptly dispatched patrol vessels and aircraft to the crash site.
At 4 p.m., a rescue team, comprising boats from the coast guard and a local rescue center, discovered “wreckage-like debris” and an overturned life raft. However, no individuals were found in the raft.
Authorities have reached out to Kadena Air Base on the island of Okinawa, the largest U.S. Air Force base in the region, for information, but no immediate comments were received.
Hiroyuki Miyazawa, Japan’s vice defense minister, informed the media that the incident involved a CV-22 Osprey from the U.S. Air Force Yokota Air Base. He stated that in response to the incident, the minister of defense has urged relevant departments to collaborate with the Japan Coast Guard to confirm any victims and to facilitate rescue efforts.
When questioned about not labeling the incident a crash, Miyazawa explained that the U.S. side characterized it as an “emergency water landing,” emphasizing that the pilot made efforts until the very end.
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The MV-22 Osprey is renowned for its unique “tiltrotor” flight system, allowing it to take off and land like a helicopter but fly like an airplane. The aircraft has been involved in several fatal accidents in recent years, including incidents in Australia and San Diego. The Defense Department has consistently defended the use of the MV-22 despite past accidents. Developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters, the MV-22 features two rotors on each wing, enabling vertical takeoff and landing, and the ability to operate as a conventional rotor-powered plane in flight.