MV-22 Goes Down in Shallow Water More than 5 Miles off Okinawa, 2 Marines Injured

December 13, 2016 4:08 PM
A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to the 13th MEU operating from USS Boxer (LHD-4). US Marine Corps Photo
A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to the 13th MEU operating from USS Boxer (LHD-4). US Marine Corps Photo

THE PENTAGON — Two Marines were injured after a Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey went down more than five miles off the coast of Okinawa, two defense official told USNI News on Tuesday.

The Osprey – assigned to the Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing – conducted a “shallow landing” five to ten miles off the coast of the island on Tuesday 10 P.M. local time, a defense official confirmed.

The five Marines aboard were “airlifted via HH-60G by the 33rd Rescue Squadron from Kadena Air Base to the United States Naval Hospital aboard Camp Foster where they are being treated for injuries,” III Marine Expeditionary Force said in a statement.
“A formal investigation into the incident has been launched.”

The status of the two Marines injured is still unknown.

A second defense official told USNI News the Osprey’s landing was characterized as “preventative” and the aircraft could still be recovered if the landing was in shallow enough water.

The following is the Dec. 13 release from III MEF on the M-V 22 Crash.

Crew rescued after MV-22 incident off coast of Okinawa

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan — —
All five crewmembers aboard an MV-22 Osprey with Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing were successfully rescued when their aircraft conducted a landing in shallow water off the Okinawa coastline of Camp Schwab at approximately 10:00 p.m., Dec. 13.
The crew was airlifted via HH-60G by the 33rd Rescue Squadron from Kadena Air Base to the United States Naval Hospital aboard Camp Foster where they are being treated for injuries.
A formal investigation into the incident has been launched. There will be no further information on the cause of the incident until the investigation is complete.

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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