Six missing after U.S. military aircraft collide off Japan

[webfact]

Six missing after U.S. military aircraft collide off Japan

 

FILE PHOTO: A KC-130 Hercules with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (Rein.), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepares to refuel a CH-53E Super Stallion during air refueling training in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, March 14, 2013. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John Robbart III/Handout via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Six U.S. Marines were missing following a still-unexplained mishap off the coast of Japan on Thursday involving two U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, which may have collided mid-air during a refuelling exercise gone wrong, U.S. officials said.

 

Japan's defence ministry said that its maritime forces had so far rescued one of the seven Marines who were aboard the two aircraft at the time of the incident. Search and rescue efforts were ongoing, U.S. and Japanese officials said.

 

The rescued person had been on the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet, and was a in stable condition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news conference.

 

The incident adds to a lengthening list of U.S. military aviation accidents around the world in recent years, prompting hearings in Congress to address the rise.

 

The Military Times reported earlier this year that aviation accidents jumped nearly 40 percent from fiscal years 2013 to 2017. At least 133 service members were killed in those incidents, it said.

 

U.S. military accidents are a sensitive topic in Japan, particularly for residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, which is home to the bulk of the U.S. presence in the country. A series of emergency landings and parts falling from U.S. military aircraft have highlighted safety concerns.

 

"The incident is regrettable, but our focus at the moment is on search and rescue," he said. "Japan will respond appropriately once the details of the incident are uncovered."

 

The Marine Corps said in a statement the incident occurred around 2 a.m. local time in Japan (1700 GMT Wednesday) about 200 miles (322 km) off the Japanese coast.

 

The F/A-18 and the KC-130 Hercules refuelling aircraft had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regular training when there was a "mishap," the Marine Corps said.

 

The Marine Corps did not elaborate on the nature of the incident. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it occurred during a refuelling exercise.

 

Officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity were unsure precisely how the mishap occurred but none suspected foul play. An investigation has begun.

 

The Marine Corps suggested Japanese search and rescue aircraft had taken the lead on the rescue mission.

 

"We are thankful for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force's efforts as they immediately responded in the search and rescue operation," it said.

 

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington and Kaori Kaneko and Tim Kelly in Tokyo; Editing by Peter Cooney and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-06

[MaxYakov]

"Officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity were unsure precisely how the mishap occurred but none suspected foul play. An investigation has begun."

 

Aircraft drinking at 02:00 hours - I have my suspicions.

[Dumbastheycome]

If  it  ain't  ships  its airplanes.  Blame  China,  South American asylum seekers (  Muslim blame  is  borin allready) , or  Democrats. 

Never will it be the  Complancey Corp !

[Burma Bill]

Too much "high spirits"

[Stargeezr]

Maybe  it is the new Trump/Simpson /ACME navigations skills of the Military.

Geezer

[Prissana Pescud]

I think some posts here are not only unfounded but very callous to the personel who died and their families. 

The marines were only doing their job which, considering the high risk, they are little paid for nor which they get any respect from at home nor abroad.

 May they rest in peace and may their famililies gain some comfort in their bereavement.

"In peace, the army trains for war" is a quote from Maronius? a greek in about 300BC? 

There is a high price paid in war and in peace. 

[madmen]

Incredible skill required to dock for midair refual
RIP

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[orchidfan]

8 hours ago, Prissana Pescud said:

I think some posts here are not only unfounded but very callous to the personel who died and their families. 

The marines were only doing their job which, considering the high risk, they are little paid for nor which they get any respect from at home nor abroad.

 May they rest in peace and may their famililies gain some comfort in their bereavement.

"In peace, the army trains for war" is a quote from Maronius? a greek in about 300BC? 

There is a high price paid in war and in peace. 

"In times of war prepare for peace,  In times of peace prepare for war"

Chinese General Sun Tzu

Edited December 8, 2018 by orchidfan
mis-spelling

[Prissana Pescud]

14 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

"In times of war prepare for peace,  In times of peace prepare for war"

Chinese General Sun Tzu

Yes that sums up my sentiments. 

I had to learn the typewriter at one stage in my military stint. We repeated the Greek quote on the typewriter until we all passed the course.

 The Greek General made the quote, and a bit more about training. This was after he had lead his men back from modern day Iraq to Greece, fighting all the way.

 I respect the men who train daily to try to make our lives more secure. I do not always respect the politicians who treat fighting men as nothing more than cannon fodder.

Some of the above quotes are silly and offensive, not just because they don't understand, but because they choose not to understand.

Yet the freedom they have comes from the men who fought, and some who died and yet all trained hard in often dangerous circumstances.

 RIP.

[Prissana Pescud]

On 12/6/2018 at 2:44 PM, MaxYakov said:

"Officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity were unsure precisely how the mishap occurred but none suspected foul play. An investigation has begun."

 

Aircraft drinking at 02:00 hours - I have my suspicions.

Max, these men were US marines, not Russians