The Hill:4 Marines dead after aircraft crashes during training in Norway

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4 Marines dead after aircraft crashes during training in Norway © Getty Images 4 Marines dead after aircraft crashes during training in Norway

Four Marines died after a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft crashed in the Arctic near Norway on Friday night.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed the death of the Marines on Twitter.

“It is with great sadness we have received the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night,” he tweeted. “Our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives and fellow soldiers in their unit.”

A spokesperson for the Second Marine Expeditionary Force said names would not be released until next of kin are notified.

“Though the nature of military service is inherently dangerous, the safety of our Marines, Sailors, Allies and partners is our top priority,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “Our hearts go out to the families affected by these events.”

The MV-22 Osprey was reported missing south of the town of Bodø, 6:26 p.m. local time, according to a e from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Norway. Bodø is an area in the north of the country.

The plane had a crew of four and was conducting a training operation, according to the statement.

The aircraft was supposed to return around 6 p.m. local time.

Norwegian rescue services sent out ground units and aircraft to search for the plane and confirmed a discovery was made around 9 p.m. in the area of Beiarn, about two hours from Bodø.

Nordland police chief of staff Bent Eilertsen told Reuters that response teams “discovered an aircraft that has crashed. We’ve seen no sign of life.”

The Twitter account for the U.S. Marines confirmed a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft was involved in an incident after conducting a NATO training exercise dubbed “Cold Response.”

The Marines said the cause of the incident is under investigation by both Norwegian and American authorities.

Updated: March 19, 2022, 7:11 a.m.

4 Marines dead after aircraft crashes during training in Norway (msn.com)