Japan Press Weekly

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2022 March 30 - April 5 [US FORCES]

2 USMC Ospreys make emergency landings at civil airport on Okinawa’s Ishigaki island

Two U.S. forces’ Ospreys stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma base in Okinawa made emergency landings on March 29 at a civil airport on Ishigaki Island in the prefecture.

According to the Okinawa Prefectural government, the incident occurred at around 1 p.m. on the day. Flying in formation, the two USMC Ospreys together with a C-130 refueling aircraft were heading to the Philippines from the Futenma base. The two tilt-rotor aircraft made emergency landings at the civil airport followed by the C-130 air tanker. However, the landing of the refueling aircraft was rejected by the airport administrator on the grounds that the airport’s apron was completely full.

The Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau based on the information provided by the U.S. military explained, “The two Ospreys made unexpected landings as a precaution because defects were detected. The cause of the incident is under investigation.”

Later on the same day, Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny said to the press that he intends to keep a watchful eye on the emergency landing accident.