A United States military Osprey aircraft carrying eight people crashed into the sea off the coast of southern Japan on Wednesday, November 29th, 2023. Japan’s coast guard has found one person and debris in the ocean where the aircraft went down near Yakushima, an island south of the main southern island of Kyushu.
The status of the eight people aboard the Osprey, as well as the cause of the crash, are currently unknown. Coast guard spokesperson Kazuo Ogawa said that the person found in the water was of unknown condition, and that gray-colored debris believed to be from the crashed aircraft was also discovered about 1 kilometer off Yakushima’s eastern shore.
The government will confirm information about the damage and place the highest priority on saving lives,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters shortly after the incident.
What is a US military Osprey aircraft
The Osprey is a unique hybrid aircraft flown by the United States Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. It takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter but can rotate its propellers forward once airborne to fly like a turbo-prop airplane. This gives the Osprey speed and range significantly greater than a conventional helicopter.
Versions of the tiltrotor Osprey are used for troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo and other missions. They are employed extensively by the US military for amphibious operations.
Osprey was en route from Iwakuni to Okinawa
According to the Japanese coast guard, the downed Osprey had just taken off from the US Marine Corps Air Station located in Iwakuni, on the main Japanese island of Honshu. It was headed to Kadena Air Base on the southern island prefecture of Okinawa when it issued a distress call and attempted an emergency landing at Yakushima Airport.
Witnesses on fishing boats near the crash site reported seeing flames coming from the aircraft’s left engine shortly before it plunged into the sea.
Other Osprey crashes
While offering important new capabilities to the US military, the Osprey program has unfortunately suffered multiple fatal accidents over its history.
In August 2022, an Osprey crashed on a north Australian island during a multinational military exercise, resulting in at least three deaths and five critical injuries among the 23 US Marines on board.
Since 2012, there have been at least five crashes involving fatalities and Marine Corps Ospreys, killing a total of 19 service members. Investigations have cited issues ranging from engine failure to pilot error as causes in different accidents.
The hybrid aircraft’s complex tiltrotor system provides crucial lifesaving access to areas unavailable to conventional fixed-wing planes or helicopters, but also introduces complex risks if mechanical or human failures occur.
As Japanese authorities continue search and rescue efforts near the crash site off Yakushima island, the status of the eight service members aboard the downed Osprey remains unknown. US and Japanese officials have offered assurances that confirming information and saving lives are the highest priorities in the wake of this latest air accident involving the innovative but sometimes troubled tiltrotor aircraft.
The incident serves as a reminder of the inherent dangers facing military flight crews as they operate sophisticated aircraft under challenging conditions to support training and operations. Investigators will undoubtedly conduct an extensive inquiry to determine the specific causes of this crash as the Osprey program moves forward despite a history of periodic tragic outcomes.
