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 Air Force has concluded search efforts for the final missing crewmember from the CV-22 Osprey crash off the coast of Japan in late November, which killed all eight personnel onboard.
The extensive, 40-day multi-national search involved over 1,000 personnel and numerous assets but was unable to locate the last teammate, Major Eric Spendlove.
Most of the crashed aircraft has been salvaged, and an investigation into the cause of the incident, which reportedly involved an engine fire, is ongoing.
Following the mishap, all V-22 Osprey variants across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps were grounded and remain so indefinitely pending the crash probe.

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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.