Marines in Japan are once again able to fly their Ospreys after being shut down last week following a crash in shallow water off the coast of Okinawa.
Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said it has completed a review of safety procedures following the crash last week that resulted in the hospitalization of five crew members.
“While the investigation is ongoing, we are highly confident in our assessment that the cause of the mishap was due solely to the aircraft’s rotor blades coming into contact with the refueling line,” Nicholson said. “We greatly appreciate the strong support from our Alliance partner in the aftermath of this incident.”
The crash took place on Wednesday during an aerial refueling off the roast. One of the rotor blades from an MV-22 Osprey struck a refueling line and damaged the aircraft. The Osprey shook violently before crashing in shallow water.
Nicholson said Japanese citizens could be confident in the capabilities of the Ospreys.
“It is very important for Japanese citizens to understand and share our utmost confidence in the safety and reliability of the MV-22, or we would not continue flight operations,” he said in a statement. “It is equally important that we ensure our pilots have every opportunity to conduct training, which allows us to remain proficient, and enable us to respond when most needed in support of the Alliance.”
