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“Tragedy Strikes: US Osprey Aircraft Crashes off Japan Coast, Resulting in Death

At least one person is dead after an US Navy Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan on Wednesday, according to local media reports. The crash occurred around 6.40 a.m. local time near Naha city in Okinawa prefecture, south of Tokyo. According to the Defense Ministry of Japan, five crew members were rescued from the sea following the crash. However, one of the crew members has died. It is not known yet how many were on board at the time of the crash. The rescue operation is still underway and details of the incident are yet to be known. The aircraft, which is a hybrid of a helicopter and an airplane, is owned by the U.S. Marine Corps and based at the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. Several incidents involving Osprey aircraft, which the U.S. military uses for transporting supplies and personnel, have occurred in Okinawa. In December 2016, three U.S. servicemen were injured after an Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan. After this incident, the Japanese government had asked the U.S. military to suspend the use of the aircraft. The government also called for a thorough safety review of the aircraft. The latest crash is sure to spark protests among local residents who have long been opposed to the presence of U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Okinawa has long been a strategic military outpost for the US military, which has a heavy presence in the prefecture. The cause of the crash is not yet known, and the U.S. military is investigation the incident. Until the investigation is complete, the U.S. military has suspended all Osprey flights in the region. This is the fourth Osprey- related crash in the past five years, and it is sure to raise questions about the safety of the aircraft and the U.S. military’s presence in Okinawa.