A United States Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed in the Southern California desert. The status of the occupants is unknown.
“An MV-22B Osprey belonging to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) crashed near Glamis, [California],” the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said in a statement. “Five Marines were onboard the aircraft, and we are awaiting confirmation on the status of all members of the crew.”
The Osprey belonged to Marine Aircraft Group 39, based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton located between Los Angeles and San Diego. The military denied early claims that the aircraft was carrying nuclear material.
It is the second MV-22B belonging to the USMC to crash in 2022. During the late afternoon of March 18, 2022, an Osprey crashed while on a training mission in Norway, killing its crew of four Marines. The Osprey was taking part in Exercise Cold Response, which brings together soldiers from NATO countries and partners.