Japan asks US military to ground Osprey aircraft after fatal crash
ReutersNov 30, 2023
A US Military Osprey aircraft with eight people on board crashed into the sea off Western Japan on Wednesday, killing at least one crew member.
The Japanese Coast Guard confirmed it had found the wreckage of the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey and the deceased's remains near Yakushima Island. Fishing boats reportedly found three people, but their conditions are unclear.
The US Military continues to deploy Ospreys despite several high-profile deadly crashes in recent years and a history of mechanical and operational issues. Japan must stop all Ospreys operating in its territory until the US can ensure the hybrid aircraft is safe to fly.
The V-22 — which can take off and land like a helicopter but can rotate its propellers forward and cruise much faster like a plane — expands the operational range of military units exponentially. Though it's often termed the most controversial US military aircraft, the Osprey isn't even close to the most lethal to fly.
There's a 25% chance that a US aircraft carrier will be destroyed in combat before 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.