US Marine Aircraft Goes Missing in Norway Training Exercise

Norwegian authorities were searching Friday for a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft that went missing during a training exercise.

Norway's military said in a statement that the Marine Osprey was reported missing Friday night when it did not make a scheduled arrival at the Arctic Circle municipality Bodø. The civilian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway launched a search and rescue operation.

Late Friday, Norway’s military said, “discoveries were made from the air” south of Bodø, adding, “Due to the weather conditions, it has not been possible to enter the site from the air.”

The Marine Corps said on Twitter, “We can confirm an incident has occurred involving a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft. ... The cause of the incident is under investigation, and additional details will be provided as available.”

Norway said the aircraft, which has a crew of four, was participating in the military exercise Cold Response, in which NATO members “train and operate along with Norwegian forces under harsh winter conditions.” It said the exercise was “planned and informed about long before the war in Ukraine.”