Congressional watchdog to investigate V-22 Osprey safety after crash
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The Osprey aircraft is known for its defective history and has had numerous fatal incidents throughout the years.
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A US military CV-22 Osprey takes off from Iwakuni base in western Japan on July 4, 2018 (AP)
According to a Bloomberg report, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) will investigate the V22 Osprey program's safety record following the November fatal accident in the Pacific.
The GAO has agreed to conduct an inquiry into the program's safety record after a request from Congress, stating that it is within the scope of its power, according to the article, which cites a letter issued to legislators on December 19.
At least one person was killed on November 29 when a US Osprey military aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan, the coastguard announced.
The US military subsequently announced the grounding of its entire fleet of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft following a deadly crash off the coast of Japan.
The Osprey aircraft is known for its defective history. Back in August of 2023, an MV-22B Osprey crash in Australia killed three US marines from the 23 that were on board during a military exercise for locally stationed troops.
At the time, the military drills, which involved military from the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, were suspended due to the crash.
In 2022, four US Marines were killed in Norway when their MV-22B Osprey jet crashed during NATO training exercises. The drill featured 30,000 soldiers from 27 nations and is presented as a "defensive" exercise.
In 2017, three Marines were killed when their Osprey crashed after clipping the back of a transport ship trying to land off Australia's north coast. And back in 2000, 19 Marines were killed when their Osprey jet crashed during drills in the state of Arizona.
US senators demanded that the GAO investigate if there are any commonalities in the mishaps, if a cause could be determined, and whether supply and maintenance concerns may have hampered the Osprey's availability.
