The Norwegian Armed Forces announced that four US personnel on board were killed when a military plane crashed in a remote area in northern Norway yesterday during a NATO training exercise.
The US Marine Corps V-22B Osprey aircraft was part of the long-planned Cold Response 2022 military exercise to defend Norwegian territory in cold weather conditions in the event of an attack.
Rescue teams reached the crash site by land earlier today, as helicopters could not land due to bad weather conditions such as strong winds and rain. According to local weather forecasts, there was also a risk of avalanches in the area.
First of all, Nordland Police Chief of Operations, Ivar Bo Nilsson, made a statement: “Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that all four personnel on board were killed”; The Norwegian Armed Forces then announced that the four dead were the “American crew” of the Osprey plane.
Investigating the cause of the accident, the police had to stop their work due to bad weather conditions. Police will continue to investigate when conditions improve.
Approximately 30 thousand soldiers, 220 aircraft and more than 50 ships from 27 countries participate in the Cold Intervention 2022 exercise in cold weather and difficult terrain conditions. Norway announced that the exercise will continue.