A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft with five crew members aboard landed in shallow water off the coastline of Camp Schwab Marine Corps Base in Okinawa, Japan, last night shortly before 10 p.m. Japan time. All five were rescued.
A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft with five crew members aboard landed in shallow water off the coastline of Camp Schwab Marine Corps Base in Okinawa, Japan, last night shortly before 10 p.m. Japan time, Pentagon press operations director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said today.
A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey takes flight after a static display to South Korean marines
Davis told reporters an Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk combat rescue helicopter from the 33rd Rescue Squadron at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa airlifted the five crew members and transported them to Okinawa Naval Hospital at Camp Foster, where they are being treated for injuries.
Investigation to Follow
The cause of the incident is not yet known, but Davis said a formal investigation will follow.
“[There] is obviously an important military capability that the Osprey provides,” he said. “It contributes to the security of Japan and the region. We will absolutely get to the bottom of the cause of it and ensure we learn from it so it doesn’t happen again. That’s what we do.”
(Follow Terri Moon Cronk on Twitter: @MoonCronkDoD)