One marine killed as search for missing continues after US military planes collides off coast of Japan

'The incident is regrettable, but our focus at the moment is on search and rescue,' Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya says

At least one US Marine has been killed and rescue teams are searching for five others missing after two US aircraft collided in mid-air and crashed into the sea off the coast of Japan during a refuelling exercise.

Japanese and American officials said they had so far found two of the seven Marines who had been aboard the aircraft, an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and a KC-130 Hercules.

“One of the recovered Marines is in fair condition and the other has been declared deceased by competent medical personnel,” a US Marine Corps statement said.

The deadly crash is the latest in a string of US military aviation accidents around the world in recent years, which have prompted hearings and criticism in Congress over aircraft safety.

President Donald Trump expressed gratitude to Japan for its quick assistance with search and rescue efforts.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the @USMC (U.S. Marine Corps) crew members who were involved in a mid-air collision off the coast of Japan,” he tweeted.

The incident occurred around 2am local time in Japan (5pm GMT on Wednesday) about 200 miles off the Japanese coast. The Marine Corps said the aircraft were conducting routine training at the time, including refuellng training.

The US military did not speculate on the cause of the collision.

“The incident is regrettable, but our focus at the moment is on search and rescue,” Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news conference. “Japan will respond appropriately once the details of the incident are uncovered.”

A US Navy P-8A patrol and surveillance aircraft was helping in search and rescue efforts along with Japanese authorities, the Marine Corps said, adding that the incident was under investigation.

Congressional leaders have called the rash of accidents in recent years a crisis and blamed it on continuous combat operations, deferred modernisation, lack of training, and ageing equipment.

Last year, 16 service members were killed after a military transport plane crash in rural Mississippi.

A military investigation said the primary cause of that crash was a propeller blade that went into the aircraft's fuselage. The investigation added that the propeller had not received proper maintenance and corrosion had been overlooked.

US military accidents are a sensitive topic in Japan, particularly for residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, home to the bulk of the US presence in the country. A series of emergency landings and parts falling from military aircraft have sparked concerns over safety.

Reuters