US military V-22 Osprey aircraft crashes off Japan, killed 8 onboard

A US military V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed into the ocean in western Japan on Wednesday with eight people onboard, confirms Japan’s coast guard. The crash happened about 2:47 p.m. local time (0547 GMT, with witnesses saying the aircraft’s left engine appeared to be on fire as the aircraft descended toward the sea, Japanese broadcaster MBC reported.

However, it had no further details of the incident near Japan’s Yakushima island, including the status of those onboard. A spokesperson for US forces in the region said they were still gathering information about the incident.

In August, a US Osprey crashed off the coast of northern Australia while transporting troops during a routine military exercise, killing three US Marines.

The deployment of the Osprey in Japan has been controversial, with critics saying the hybrid aircraft is prone to accidents. However, the US military and Japan say it is safe.