The Air Force has so far identified one victim, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob “Jake” M. Galliher, 24, from Pittsfield, Mass. Seven others remain missing.
On Nov. 28, the United States Air Force CV-22B Osprey from Yokota Air Base in Japan crashed near Yakushima island in southern Japan. The Air Force has not identified the cause of the crash.
“The main priority is bringing the Airmen home and taking care of their family members,” the statement read. “Support to, and the privacy of, the families and loved ones impacted by this incident remains AFSOC’s top priority.”
Search-and-rescue operations involving U.S. and Japanese forces were underway following the incident.
Some pieces of the wreckage were collected by Japanese Coast Guard and fishermen and were handed over to the U.S. military, Japanese news outlet Kyodo News reported.