U.S. Marines prepare to take off in a MV-22B Osprey at Norwegian Air Force Base Bodø during Exercise Cold Response 22, Norway, March 16, 2022. US MArine
This post has been updated with additional information from Norwegian officials.
Norwegian officials have found four bodies at the crash site of an MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor that went down on Friday during a training mission in Arctic Norway, local officials said on Saturday morning.
“Police reached the crash site at around 0130 CET [8:30 p.m. East Coast time, Friday]. It is regrettably confirmed that all four onboard the plane have perished,” Ivar Bo Nilsson, head of the operation for Nordland police, said in a statement.
Norwegian Chief of Defence, General Eirik Kristoffersen confirmed the four aboard were American service members in a Saturday statement.
“Yesterday afternoon I was notified that an American aircraft was missing and had not arrived in Bodø according to the original plan. I feared the worst, but hoped for a long time for better news”, says Norwegian Chief of Defence, General Eirik Kristoffersen.
“The search and rescue operation found what was an accident site. It has now sadly been confirmed that the crew onboard the American aircraft died in the accident. My thoughts go to the crew’s family, friends and colleagues. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the search and rescue operation.”
On Saturday morning, II Marine Expeditionary Force said the four Marines aboard the Osprey were assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II MEF.
The Osprey was reported missing after it failed to arrive at Norwegian Air Force Base Bodø by 6 p.m. (1 p.m. East Coast time), according to the Armed Forces and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway.
Norwegian search aircraft, including a rescue helicopter from the airbase and a Royal Norwegian Air Force P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft, found a suspected crash site but could not reach the location by air.
“The weather conditions in the area have been challenging and are expected to get worse,” reads a Friday statement from the rescue coordination center.
“Ground crews coordinated by the police have been deployed in the area.”
Chief of Staff in the Nordland police district Bent Are Eilertsen told Norwegian news outlet VG, they had discovered the crash site of the missing Osprey, that had been on a training mission in Nordland County to the south of the airbase, near the Gråtådalen in Beiarn municipality.
It is with great sadness we have recived the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night. The soldiers participated in the NATO exercise Cold Response. Our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives and fellow soldiers in their unit.
— Jonas Gahr Støre (@jonasgahrstore) March 19, 2022
“What we have been told is that it is an American plane with Americans on board. We have found a plane that crashed in the mountains,” Eilertsen told VG.
II MEF said it was, “aware of a mishap involving a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to II MEF in Norway on March 18, 2022. The incident is currently being assessed,” in a Friday statement.
“Norwegian civil authorities are leading the search and rescue efforts at this time. We are grateful for their efforts and will assist them in the search and rescue in all manners possible.”
The North Carolina-based II MEF is one of several U.S. units participating in the Cold Weather exercise in Norway. More than 30,000 troops from 27 countries are taking part in the exercise.
The crash is under investigation by the Marines and Norwegian officials.
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Norwegian Officials Say Four Found Dead at MV-22B Crash Site in Arctic Norway - USNI News - USNI News
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