At Least One Dead After US Military Osprey With Six on Board Crashes Into Sea off Japan

Rescue boats and helicopters are involved in the search for survivors after a U.S. military Osprey carrying six people crashed in the waters off of Japan on Wednesday.

Japan’s coast guard said it found one person and debris from the aircraft in the waters off of southern Japan. That person died, according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper.

There were originally believed to be eight people on board but the newspaper says officials later lowered the number to six.

The cause of the crash was unknown but witnesses reportedly saw fire coming from the Osprey's left engine before the crash.

Coast guard spokesperson Kazuo Ogawa said a fishing boat off of Yakushima made an emergency call after the crash.

“The government will confirm information about the damage and place the highest priority on saving lives," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but during flight can rotate its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane. Versions of the aircraft are flown by the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.

Ogawa said the aircraft had departed from the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi prefecture and crashed on its way to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.

U.S. and Japanese officials said the aircraft belonged to Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. U.S. Air Force officials at Yokota said they were still confirming information and had no immediate comment.

There have been at least five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of at least 19 deaths.

Three U.S. Marines died in an August Osprey crash in Australia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.