Mechanical Failure Ruled Out As Cause For Osprey Crash Off Australian Coast

The Japanese Defense Ministry has cleared Ospreys for flights after US investigators ruled out mechanical failures as the cause of last Saturday’s fatal crash off Australia.

Four Ospreys from the US military base in Japan’s Okinawa took off shortly after its defense ministry lifted the ban imposed after one of the US Marine Corps planes crashed off Australia, Sputnik reported Friday.

The aircraft left the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and are heading for the Misawa Air Base in the northern Aomori prefecture, the Kyodo news agency reported.

The crashed Osprey was among the tilt-rotor aircraft deployed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Japan's southern island prefecture of Okinawa, where local residents have expressed concern about the safety of the aircraft that have a history of fatal accidents, Kyodo news agency had reported last week.

The Japanese Defense Ministry said Ospreys had been given clearance for flights after US investigators ruled out mechanical failures as the cause of last Saturday’s fatal crash off Australia, Sputnik reported.