Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty
Four U.S. Marines have presumably lost their lives after their MV-22 Osprey Aircraft crashed during a NATO military exercise in Norway on Friday.
On Saturday morning, II Marine Expeditionary Force officials shared an update on the tragedy via itsTwitteraccount.
After learning about the accident, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre also confirmed the news, sharing his condolences via social media.
“It is with great sadness we have received the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night,” he tweeted early Saturday. “The soldiers participated in the NATO exercise Cold Response. Our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers' families, relatives, and fellow soldiers in their unit.”
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Local authorities reported the incident occurred in the northern part of Norway, in a county called Nordland, perABC News. Police determined “the crew of 4 were deceased” upon their arrival at the scene, Nordland Chief in Staff Bent Eilertsen said in a statement, according to the outlet.
The search and rescue team began their mission to locate the aircraft after it was reported missing on Friday.
The Norwegian armed forces explained in a statement at the time, “it has not been possible to enter the site from air” due to weather conditions.
“It is extreme avalanche danger and heavy rain in the area right now,” Eilertsen claimed, per ABC News. “Landslide experts have given the police a strong recommendation not to enter the landslide area.”
Eilertsen told Norwegian public broadcasterNRKon Saturday that the aircraft was discovered from a rescue helicopter, where it appeared to have “major damage” after crashing in the municipality of Beiarn.
“What we have been told is that it is an American plane with Americans on board,” he added.
According to a statement from U.S. Marines via itsTwitteraccount, “the aircraft was conducting training in Norway as part of Exercise COLD RESPONSE 22 at the time of the incident.”
Lance Cpl Elias E Pimentel III/AP/Shutterstock
The officials from II Marine Expeditionary Force also added in a press release that as a matter of policy, service members' identities will not be released until 24 hours after all “next-of-kin notifications have been completed.”
source: people.com
