SYDNEY (AP) — U.S. military officials called off a search and rescue operation on Sunday for three U.S. Marines who were missing after their Osprey aircraft crashed into the sea off the east coast of Australia while trying to land.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps suspended the rescue operation and launched a recovery effort instead, the Marine base Camp Butler in Japan said in a statement, essentially confirming the military does not expect to find the missing Marines alive.

The Marines’ next of kin had been notified, and Australia’s defense force was assisting the Americans with the recovery effort, the statement said.

The MV-22 Osprey had launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard and was conducting regularly scheduled operations on Saturday when it crashed into the water, Camp Butler said. The ship’s small boats and aircraft immediately responded in the search and rescue efforts, and 23 of 26 personnel aboard the aircraft were rescued.

“Recovery and salvage operations can take several months to complete, but can be extended based on several environmental factors,” Camp Butler’s statement said. “The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation, and there is no additional information available at this time.”

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like an airplane. They have been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.

The aircraft was in Australia for a joint military training exercise held by the U.S. and Australia last month in Shoalwater Bay in Queensland state. The Talisman Sabre exercise, a biennial event between the two nations, involved more than 30,000 troops and 200 aircraft.

Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said Saturday’s incident occurred off the coast of Shoalwater Bay.

“I can confirm no Australian Defence Force personnel were on board the aircraft,” Payne said in a statement.

Payne said she had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “to offer Australia’s support in any way that can be of assistance.”

A White House official said President Donald Trump had been briefed by chief of staff John Kelly on the mishap of an aircraft off the east coast of Australia.

In 2015, a U.S. Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing two Marines. Last December, a U.S. military Osprey crash-landed off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa. Its five crew members were rescued safely. And in January, three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the “hard landing” of an Osprey in Yemen.</s>A U.S. search and rescue operation for three Marines is underway in the south Pacific after an MV-22 Osprey helicopter carrying 26 American military personnel crashed off Australia’s east coast last night. The West Australian reports that the three missing marines are feared dead.

The crash happened late Saturday afternoon off the coast of Shoalwater Bay in North Queensland, Australia. The helicopter was part of the joint U.S. and Australian military exercise “Talisman Sabre,” which has recently concluded.

The U.S. Marine Corps released a statement stating that there was an active search and rescue operation happening involving ships and aircraft from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group.

MSN reports the MV-22 Osprey was operating off of an amphibious assault ship, the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, and was operating normally when it hit the water. According to MSN, the U.S Marine Corps said that the incident was under investigation but would give no further comment.

The helicopter involved in the incident—the MV-22 Osprey—has been the subject of controversy in the past for a shaky safety record and a series of crashes that resulted in the deaths of 39 people over 26 years. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft designed to be able to take off and land vertically but flies much like a plane at greater speeds than conventional helicopters.

Since 1991, there have been nine fatal crashes involving V-22 Ospreys.

Development of the Osprey was almost scrapped in 2000 after a crash killed 20 U.S. military personnel, but the MV-22 has actually gained more popularity since then for its speed and range. The Ospreys are designed to fly between Aircraft Carriers.

In December, the U.S. Osprey squadron was grounded in Japan after an Osprey crashed into the sea, injuring five people after a hose broke during a refueling operation.

The MV-22 was deployed to Queensland as part of “Talisman Sabre,” a military exercise involving 33,000 personnel, 33 ships, and 200 aircraft from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada.

“Talisman Sabre” was conducted in Australia from April to July.

The United States and Australia have a long history of military partnership, including cooperation in the coalition during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.</s>SYDNEY (AP) — A search and rescue operation was underway Saturday for service members involved in the “mishap” of an aircraft off the east coast of Australia, U.S. Marine officials said.

Ships, small boats and aircraft from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group were conducting the operation following the incident involving an MV-22 Osprey, the Marine base Camp Butler in Japan said in a statement.

The statement did not provide further details, and it was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties.

Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said the incident occurred off the coast of Shoalwater Bay in Queensland state.

“I can confirm no Australian Defence Force personnel were on board the aircraft,” Payne said in a statement. “The United States are leading the search and recovery effort.”

Payne said she had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “to offer Australia’s support in any way that can be of assistance.”

The Osprey aircraft were in Australia for a joint military training exercise held by the U.S. and Australia last month in Shoalwater Bay. The Talisman Sabre exercise, a biennial event between the two nations, involved more than 30,000 troops and 200 aircraft.

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like an airplane. They have been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.

In 2015, a U.S. Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing two Marines. Last December, a U.S. military Osprey crash-landed off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa. Its five crew members were rescued safely. And in January, three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the “hard landing” of an Osprey in Yemen.</s>Sydney: The US Marine Corps called off search and rescue efforts for three missing service members Sunday after an American military aircraft crashed off Australia’s coast.

Twenty-three personnel were quickly rescued following the incident involving a MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, the primary assault support aircraft for the Marines, on Saturday. But three marines remain missing despite a search operation supported by aircraft and ships.

“Operations have now shifted to recovery efforts. The next-of-kin for the three missing Marines have been notified,” US Marines based in Japan said in a statement. “As the sea state permits, recovery efforts will be conducted to further search, assess and survey the area, in coordination and with assistance from the Australian Defence Force.”

The Marines said the recovery and salvage operations could take several months to complete, while the cause of the incident was currently being investigated.

The MV-22, which is half-helicopter half-turboprop, has two engines positioned on fixed wing tips that allow it to land and take off vertically. It also has the ability to travel much faster than a helicopter.

It was in the region as part of the Australian-US joint military exercise Talisman Sabre, which has just concluded in Queensland state.

There have been a series of deadly incidents, mostly in the United States, involving the aircraft. In April 2000, 19 Marines were killed in an MV-22 crash in the US.

Locals on the Japanese island of Okinawa have protested against the deployment of the MV-22 to a US airbase in the middle of a crowded city.

In December, a “controlled landing” of the controversial hybrid aircraft just off the coast during a training flight sparked local anger. The aircraft was in pieces after the incident and no-one was killed.

Local campaigners say they cannot tolerate accidents, as well as noise and crimes committed by US service members.</s>US military aircraft and boats are scouring waters off Australia’s east coast Saturday for three Marines involved in what the Marines Corps is calling a “mishap” with an MV-22 aircraft.

Twenty-three of the 26 personnel on board have been rescued, the US Marine Corps said.

Small boats and aircraft from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group are carrying out the search and rescue operation, according to the Marine Corps.

The US military has been in the area for training exercises with the Australian military. The MV-22 is a vertical-launch aircraft, also known as an Osprey.

“The aircraft involved in the mishap had launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and was conducting regularly scheduled operations when the aircraft entered the water,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.

Crew on board the Bonhomme Richard were performing water training exercises Saturday, according to the ship’s Facebook page. The exercises were a follow-up to joint military training between US and Australian forces that wrapped up last week.

Marine authorities are investigating the incident. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has briefed President Donald Trump on the situation, a White House spokesman said.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also been made aware of the operation in Shoalwater Bay. Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said in a statement she had spoken to US Defense Secretary James Mattis to offer Australia’s support in “anyway that can be of assistance.”

Australian authorities said no Australian personnel were on board.

The recent joint military exercise took place largely in Shoalwater Bay and involved more than 30,000 US and Australian personnel, according to Australian Defense Department.</s>SYDNEY (AP) - U.S. Marine teams were conducting search and rescue operations off the east coast of Australia Saturday for three Marines missing after a "mishap" with their Osprey aircraft.

Twenty-three of the 26 personnel aboard have been rescued, according to the Marine Expeditionary Force.

The Herald Sun also published an unconfirmed report of two or three fatalities in the incident off Queensland near Rockhampton.

The Osprey aircraft were in Australia for a joint military training exercise held by the U.S. and Australia last month in Shoalwater Bay. The Talisman Sabre exercise, a biennial event between the two nations, involved more than 30,000 troops and 200 aircraft.

The MV-22B “Osprey” tilt rotor aircraft, which can take off and land vertically but fly like an airplane, has a crew of four and can carry up to the 32 people.They have been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.

In 2015, a U.S. Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing two Marines. Last December, a U.S. military Osprey crash-landed off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa. Its five crew members were rescued safely. And in January, three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the "hard landing" of an Osprey in Yemen.

Twenty-three of the 26 personnel aboard have been rescued, according to the Marine Expeditionary Force.</s>SYDNEY (AP) - U.S. Marine teams were conducting search and rescue operations off the east coast of Australia Saturday for three Marines missing after a "mishap" with their Osprey aircraft.

Twenty-three of the 26 personnel aboard have been rescued, according to the Marine Expeditionary Force.

The Herald Sun also published an unconfirmed report of two or three fatalities in the incident off Queensland near Rockhampton.

The Osprey aircraft were in Australia for a joint military training exercise held by the U.S. and Australia last month in Shoalwater Bay. The Talisman Sabre exercise, a biennial event between the two nations, involved more than 30,000 troops and 200 aircraft.

The MV-22B “Osprey” tilt rotor aircraft, which can take off and land vertically but fly like an airplane, has a crew of four and can carry up to the 32 people.They have been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.

In 2015, a U.S. Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing two Marines. Last December, a U.S. military Osprey crash-landed off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa. Its five crew members were rescued safely. And in January, three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the "hard landing" of an Osprey in Yemen.

Twenty-three of the 26 personnel aboard have been rescued, according to the Marine Expeditionary Force.</s>Warning - there was an unexpected script error. Application may not work as expected.</s>SYDNEY (AP) — U.S. military officials called off a search and rescue operation on Sunday for three U.S. Marines who were missing after their Osprey aircraft crashed into the sea off the east coast of Australia while trying to land.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps suspended the rescue operation and launched a recovery effort instead, the Marine base Camp Butler in Japan said in a statement, essentially confirming the military does not expect to find the missing Marines alive.

The Marines’ next of kin had been notified, and Australia’s defense force was assisting the Americans with the recovery effort, the statement said.

The MV-22 Osprey had launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard and was conducting regularly scheduled operations on Saturday when it crashed into the water, Camp Butler said. The ship’s small boats and aircraft immediately responded in the search and rescue efforts, and 23 of 26 personnel aboard the aircraft were rescued.

“Recovery and salvage operations can take several months to complete, but can be extended based on several environmental factors,” Camp Butler’s statement said. “The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation, and there is no additional information available at this time.”

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like an airplane. They have been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.

The aircraft was in Australia for a joint military training exercise held by the U.S. and Australia last month in Shoalwater Bay in Queensland state. The Talisman Sabre exercise, a biennial event between the two nations, involved more than 30,000 troops and 200 aircraft.

Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said Saturday’s incident occurred off the coast of Shoalwater Bay.

“I can confirm no Australian Defence Force personnel were on board the aircraft,” Payne said in a statement.

Payne said she had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “to offer Australia’s support in any way that can be of assistance.”

A White House official said President Donald Trump had been briefed by chief of staff John Kelly on the mishap of an aircraft off the east coast of Australia.

In 2015, a U.S. Osprey crashed during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing two Marines. Last December, a U.S. military Osprey crash-landed off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa. Its five crew members were rescued safely. And in January, three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the “hard landing” of an Osprey in Yemen.

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook</s>OKINAWA, Japan (AP) — U.S. Marine officials say a search and rescue operation is underway for service members involved in the “mishap” of an aircraft off the east coast of Australia.

A statement Saturday from the Marine base Camp Butler in Japan said that ships, small boats and aircraft from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group were conducting the operations following the incident involving an MV-22 Osprey.

The statement said more details would be provided as they become available.
The search for three members of the United States Marines Corps lost in a MV-22 Osprey crash in Shoalwater Bay in the Australian state of Queensland is called off.