Aug 11 (Japan Today) - Japan on Friday said it would allow Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to continue to operate in the country, accepting U.S. assurances that the flights are safe following a fatal crash off Australia.
The U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft, which was based at an air base in Japan, crashed last Saturday while on exercises off the Australian coast, leaving three service members missing and presumed dead.
Itsunori Onodera, Japan's new defense minister, had asked the U.S. to temporarily stop flying the aircraft in his country following the accident, the latest deadly incident involving Ospreys.
But on Friday, the defense ministry issued a statement saying that the U.S. military "is taking reasonable measures" and "the U.S. forces' explanation that it can conduct safe flights of MV-22 Ospreys is understandable."
According to a U.S. official, the Osprey crashed after clipping the back of the USS Green Bay while trying to land on the amphibious transport ship.
The MV-22 -- a hybrid helicopter-turboprop -- has two engines positioned on fixed wingtips that allow it to land and take off vertically. It can travel much faster than a helicopter.
The aircraft has been involved in a series of fatal incidents, mostly in the United States.
In April 2000, 19 Marines were killed in an MV-22 crash in Arizona.
Source: ANNnewsCH
