A team engaged in the investigation of the recent fatal crash involving a U.S. military aircraft off the coast of Japan has discovered the wreckage and the remains of five missing crew members, according to an announcement by the Air Force on Monday. The incident involved the Osprey CV-22B “tiltrotor” aircraft, which had eight crew members on board when it crashed near the island of Yakushima on November 29.
In a statement released just after 4 a.m. ET on Monday, the Air Force Special Operations Command reported that a joint U.S.-Japanese diving team had located “remains” and wreckage. An update at 6 a.m. ET confirmed the discovery of the aircraft’s fuselage and the retrieval of five bodies. The divers were actively working to recover the remaining crew members.
As of now, the identities of the individuals whose remains were found on Monday have not been disclosed.
“The coalition of military, coast guard, law enforcement, mariners, and local volunteers remain steadfast in locating and bringing the US Service Members back to their units and their families,” emphasized the statement.
The Japanese Coast Guard previously reported that one person was recovered unconscious from the water and was later confirmed dead. With the recent updates, two crew members are still unaccounted for.
The primary focus, as stated in the announcement, is on bringing the Airmen home and supporting their families. The Air Force Special Operations Command reiterated its commitment to prioritizing the privacy and support of the families and loved ones affected by the tragic incident.
Last week, Pittsfield, Massachusetts police identified Staff Sgt. Jacob “Jake” Galliher, a 24-year-old father of two, as the airman recovered from the crash site.
The CV-22B Osprey, a unique hybrid helicopter-plane capable of vertical takeoff that tilts its rotors 90 degrees forward once airborne, was participating in a training exercise when the accident occurred off Yakushima, an island in the Kagoshima region of the southern main island of Kyushu.
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This incident adds to a series of unfortunate events involving U.S. military Osprey aircraft and is not the first such accident in Japan. Expressing concern over the ongoing use of the Osprey, Japan grounded its fleet of these aircraft last Friday. Subsequently, the Pentagon announced the suspension of Osprey flights from the Yokota Air Base, while the rest of the U.S. Osprey fleet continues operations in the region.