TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s defence ministry plans to ask the U.S. military to ground its Osprey aircraft after one crashed into the sea on Wednesday in western Japan, killing at least one person onboard, local media reported on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the defence ministry declined to comment on the reports.
The U.S. Air Force, which was operating the hybrid aircraft, has called the incident a “mishap” and said the cause is currently unknown.
Witnesses said the aircraft’s left engine appeared to be on fire as it approached an airport for an emergency landing in clear weather and light winds, media reported.
Developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, the V-22 Osprey can fly like both a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft and is operated by the U.S. Air Force, Marines and Navy, and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
The deployment of the hybrid aircraft in Japan has been controversial, with critics saying it is prone to accidents. The U.S. military and Japan say it is safe.
In August, a U.S. Osprey crashed off the coast of northern Australia while transporting troops during a routine military exercise, killing three U.S. Marines.
Another crash-landed in the ocean off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa in December 2016, prompting a temporary U.S. military grounding of the aircraft.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim and Kantaro Komiya; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Kim Coghill and Gerry Doyle)
