The US military said on December 6 that it had temporarily grounded its entire Osprey fleet worldwide following an accident last week off the southwestern coast of Japan.
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| A US Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey helicopter lands on the USS Mesa Verde during exercises in the Baltic Sea on September 18. (Source: Reuters) |
According to a preliminary investigation, a number of technical problems caused the November 29 crash that killed eight US service members aboard a CV-22 Osprey aircraft. The grounding of the Osprey aircraft by the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps will allow for a thorough investigation into the cause and recommendations to ensure the Osprey fleet returns to service.
In the accident, a US Air Force CV-22 assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base disappeared from radar off the coast of Yakushima Island and crashed into nearby waters.
Former US Marine Corps Colonel Grant Newsham said that stopping the deployment of the Osprey squadron will affect US training and combat capabilities.
This is not the first time the Osprey fleet has been involved in an accident. Last year, four US service members died when an Osprey crashed in remote northern Norway during a NATO exercise.
In August 2023, three US Marines were killed off the northern coast of Australia while participating in a routine military exercise.
The Osprey is an "amphibious" aircraft that can fly like a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. The US Marine Corps, US Navy and Japan Self-Defense Forces operate this aircraft.
The deployment of the Osprey in Japan has been controversial, with concerns that the aircraft is prone to accidents. The US and Japanese militaries have previously said it is safe.
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