A Friday crash of an MV-22B Osprey close to Bodo, Norway, that claimed the lives of 4 Marines is as soon as once more placing an plane that had a notoriously troubled improvement into the highlight.
Late Sunday, the Marine Corps launched the names of the 4 service members: Capt. Matthew Tomkiewicz of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Capt. Ross Reynolds of Leominster, Massachusetts; Gunnery Sgt. James Speedy of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob Moore of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.
All 4 have been assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, in line with a assertion launched by the II Marine Expeditionary Pressure late Sunday.
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The Marine Corps mentioned the reason for the crash is below investigation, however Norwegian police reported unhealthy climate within the space, in line with The Related Press.
The Osprey has had a controversial improvement and operational historical past, with some arguing that it’s unsafe. Between 1991 and 2006, whereas the plane was present process testing, there have been 4 crashes leading to 30 deaths.
Since turning into operational in 2007, there have been different crashes, although the variety of fatalities has decreased considerably. The protection contractor-supported Lexington Institute described the plane as “the most secure, most survivable rotorcraft the U.S. Marine Corps operates” in 2011, shortly after the Osprey had its first deadly accident in a decade.
The final main crash involving a V-22 Osprey was in 2017 when Pentagon officers mentioned “two service members have been injured after a coalition plane executed a tough touchdown” at an undisclosed location in Syria. The final deadly crash involving the plane was additionally in 2017 off the coast of Australia, by which three Marines have been misplaced.
In a press launch, Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm, the commander of the 2nd Marine Plane Wing, praised the service of the 4 Marines who perished March 18.
“The pilots and crew have been dedicated to engaging in their mission and serving a trigger higher than themselves,” he mentioned. “We are going to by no means enable these Marines’ sacrifice to go unnoticed or unappreciated.”
The assertion notes that the our bodies of the Marines had been faraway from the location and “are within the strategy of being returned.” The service mentioned a dignified switch will occur “within the coming days.”
News of the crash was first introduced by Norwegian authorities on Saturday, although the Corps says the crash occurred Friday. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre mentioned in a tweet that the nation’s “deepest sympathies go to the troopers’ households, kin and fellow troopers of their unit.”
The Marines have been collaborating within the NATO train Chilly Response 2022.
— Konstantin Toropin could be reached at konstantin.toropin@navy.com. Comply with him on Twitter @ktoropin.
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