In the latest incident involving the American military in Okinawa, a U.S. Navy C-2 transport aircraft carrying 11 crew members and passengers crashed into the ocean 150 km northwest of Okinotorishima on Wednesday.
Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters that eight of the 10 to 11 aboard the aircraft had been rescued and that the U.S. military had said the cause of the crash appeared to be engine trouble. Kyodo News, meanwhile, quoted Onodera as saying that at least two of those aboard were still missing.
The names of the crew and passengers were being withheld pending next of kin notification, the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet said in a statement.
Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff, it said.
The aircraft was en route to the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea. The Reagan is home-ported at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The 7th Fleet said the Reagan was conducting search and rescue operations.
Thanks
FNS ticker says “11 rescued”.
...eight of the 10 to 11 aboard the aircraft had been rescued...
Good for them but the others?
eight of the 10 to 11
Ten to eleven? If one of those souls isnt a spook, our Navy has more problems than an aging fleet.
Oh, Lord. This is NOT a good time of year to be in those waters.