Tokyo – US Military Osprey Crash Near Japan’s Yakushima Island: One Fatality Confirmed

Tokyo– A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday as a US military Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan’s Yakushima Island in southern Kagoshima prefecture, resulting in at least one confirmed fatality, as reported by a Japan Coast Guard spokesperson.

Initially thought to have eight individuals on board, the Coast Guard later corrected the number to six. Unfortunately, details about the other passengers and the cause of the crash remain unknown.

The Japan Coast Guard received information about the crash around 2:47 p.m. local time, prompting the dispatch of a patrol boat and aircraft from the 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters to the crash area.

Simultaneously, the Yakushima Airport Management Office in Kagoshima Prefecture received a call from the US military requesting an emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport. The specific branch, whether Marines or Air Force, was not clarified by the Kagoshima prefectural official providing the information.