Eight people on board a US Navy plane that crashed into the Philippine Sea south of Japan have been rescued. Search teams are scouring the area to find three other personnel who are still missing.
The plane was on its way to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrierImage: Getty Images/AFP
Advertisement
A US Navy transport plane carrying 11 people crashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday as it was en route to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.
Eight people were rescued and are in "good condition," the US 7th Fleet said in a statement. Rescue crews are still looking for the remaining three personnel.
"Search and rescue efforts for three personnel continue with US Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ships and aircraft on scene," they said in a statement.
The USS Reagan was operating in the Philippine Sea south of Japan when the crash occurred at 2:45 p.m. Japan time (05:45 UTC).
South China Sea countries are building larger navies
Countries surrounding the South China Sea have been pumping more resources into their navies. China spends more than other regional nations combined, but smaller navies are still acquiring effective fleets.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Drake
Pride of the Chinese armada
The first Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was originally a Soviet model built in 1986. In 1998, the stripped hulk was sold to China by Ukraine and rebuilt by the Dailian Shipbuilding Industry Company in northeastern China. It was completed in 2012 and has been ready for service since 2016.
Image: imago/Xinhua
'Black holes' for Vietnam
In recent years, Vietnam has acquired six Russian Kilo-class submarines. Two were delivered in 2017. The subs are nicknamed "black holes" by the US Navy, because they run very quietly and are difficult to locate. They are specialized for missions in shallow waters and for defense against enemy ships and submarines.
Image: Vietnam News Agency/AFP/Getty Images
Flagship of the Philippines
The BRP Gregorio del Pilar is the flagship of the Philippine Navy. The vessel is one of three former US Coast Guard cutters that were acquired by the Philippines. The ship was first put in service in 1967 and it was modernized in 2011. In 2012, it was involved in the dispute with the People's Republic of China over Scarborough Shoal.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Favila
Warships from European shipyards
Indonesia is in the process of buying new ships and modernizing its navy. Pictured here is the KRI Sultan Hasanuddin, a Sigma-class corvette. The ship was built in 2007 in the Netherlands. Germany also supplies warships to countries in the region. The Kasturi-class corvettes in Malaysia and Brunei's Darussalam-class high-seas patrol boats come from German shipyards.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/A. Ibrahim
Singapore's stealth ships
Singapore is unmatched for hi-tech in the region. Since 2007, the city-state has put six Formidable-class stealth ships in service. All of them were built in France.
Image: Imago/China Foto Press
The long arm of the US Navy
The only truly global naval power remains the US Navy. The seventh fleet is stationed in the Pacific. It is the largest forward-deployed fleet of the US Navy with 50-60 ships, 350 aircraft and 60,000 personnel. This includes the only US aircraft carrier stationed outside of the US, the USS Ronald Regan, stationed at the US naval base in Yokosuka, Japan.
Image: AP
6 images1 | 6
Possible 'engine trouble'
It was not immediately clear why the C-2 "Greyhound" aircraft crashed, the Navy said, adding that an investigation will be launched into the incident.
Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters that a joint search-and-rescue operation had been launched and that initial reports pointed to a problem with the plane's engine.
"From the US military, we have received an initial report that engine trouble might be the cause," he said.
The propeller-powered C-2 aircraft have been used by the US Navy for over 50 years and are due to be replaced by the tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft.
This year, the US Navy's 7th Fleet has had two fatal accidents in Asian waters. The accidents have left 17 sailors dead and prompted the removal of several top officers from their posts, including the 7th Fleet's commander.
Following investigations, the US Navy concluded the crashes were avoidable and resulted from failures by commanders and crews to quickly recognize and respond to the emergencies.