Five missing after two US military planes crash off Japan
Rescue operations were underway Thursday for five US marines missing after two US military aircraft crashed during a refuelling operation off the coast of Japan, the Japanese defense minister said.
One crew member has already been rescued and is thought to be in a stable condition, Takeshi Iwaya told reporters.
A spokesman for the Japan SelfDefense Forces (SDF) said another crew member had been found but there were no immediate details of the marine’s condition. “The marine is being transported to a local hospital for evaluation,” the US military said in a statement.
“US military and the Japanese Self-Defense planes and vessels are searching for those still missing... I hope all the members will be rescued safely as soon as possible,” Iwaya added.
The marines were conducting “regularly scheduled training” when the crash occurred around 2:00 am local time, the third Marine Expeditionary Force said in a statement.
The F/A-18 fighter jet with two crew onboard and a KC-130 refuelling tanker with five crew crashed into the sea around 100 kilometers off the cape of Muroto in southwestern Japan, Iwaya said.
Japan’s SDF had deployed nine aircraft and three vessels for the search, he said.
“We are thankful for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s efforts as they immediately responded in the search and rescue operation,” the Marines said.
A spokesperson for the Japanese coast guard said six vessels and an aircraft had been dispatched separately to assist in the rescue efforts.
There are few details about the circumstances of what the marine described as a “mishap” and an investigation is underway.
Public broadcaster NHK sent a helicopter to try to find the crash site but was unable to locate it due to heavy fog and rain.
During a normal KC-130 refuelling operation, the tanker aircraft trails a hose from the back of the plane with a so-called “drogue,” shaped a bit like a windsock, at the end.