Air Force Ends Search for Remains in CV-22 Crash That Killed 8

The mishap prompted a massive search that included more than 1,000 personnel, 46 aircraft, and 23 maritime vessels, military officials said.

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, January 12, 2024 at 02:36 PM ET

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A U.S. Air Force CV-22B Osprey prepares to land on the flight deck of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in March, 2023. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has ended search efforts for the last missing crewmember of a CV-22 Osprey that crashed off the coast of Japan in November, confirming all eight personnel on board died.
A massive, multi-branch search operation involving U.S. and Japanese forces lasted over 40 days, covering a vast area of the ocean.
The majority of the aircraft has been salvaged, and an investigation into the cause of the crash, which occurred during a routine training mission and reportedly involved an engine fire, is ongoing.
All V-22 Osprey variants across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps remain grounded indefinitely following the fatal accident.

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After more than 40 days, the Air Force has ended search efforts for the remains of a missing CV-22 Osprey crewmember on board the aircraft when it crashed off the coast of Japan in late November, killing all eight personnel on board.

The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, went down offshore of Yakushima Island during a routine training mission on November 29. The Japan Coast Guard said it received an emergency call at the time of the incident, along with reports that the aircraft’s left engine was on fire as it fell.