Crash Prompts Japan to Call on U.S. Military to Ground Ospreys

Japan said it would suspend operations of its fleet of 14 Ospreys until the cause of the crash was clarified.

Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 02:49 PM ET

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Four CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group Detachment 1 fly above Tokyo, Japan. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashed off Yakushima Island, Japan, during a routine training mission, resulting in at least one fatality among the eight airmen on board.
Japan's military responded by temporarily grounding its own fleet of Ospreys and formally requesting the U.S. military to do the same, citing safety concerns and public anxiety.
Despite Japan's request, U.S. military Ospreys remained in operation in Japan as of the article's publication.
This incident follows a series of other fatal accidents involving the Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, including crashes in June 2022 and August in Australia.

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A day after a fatal Air Force CV-22 Osprey crash, Japan’s military has temporarily grounded its fleet of the tiltrotor aircraft and is calling on the U.S. military to do the same.

A CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan went down offshore of Yakushima Island Wednesday afternoon during a routine training mission, killing at least one of the eight airmen on board, according to reports.