U.S. Navy plane carrying 11 people crashes into Pacific off Japan


A U.S. Navy transporter carrying 11 people crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Japan on Wednesday. Search and rescue is underway for survivors, the Japan-based Seventh Fleet said in a statement. As of Wednesday morning, eight people had been found and were in "good condition," The Washington Post reports. The crash happened while the plane was traveling to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, and the cause remains unclear.
This is the latest in a series of recent accidents for the Seventh Fleet, which is conducting exercises in response to rising tensions with North Korea. In June, seven sailors died when the USS Fitzgerald hit a container ship off the coast of Japan. And in August, 10 people were killed when the USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker near Singapore. Both incidents were considered avoidable and blamed on crew negligence, prompting new training exercises and examinations of how crew deal with stress and exhaustion. The Seventh Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, was removed from duty in August. Jessica Hullinger
This is a breaking news story and has been updated throughout.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
-
A running list of all the celebrities Trump has pardoned
IN DEPTH Reality stars, rappers and disgraced politicians have received some of the high-profile pardons doled out by the president
-
US credit rating: what it is and why it matters
the explainer Credit rating agency Moody's downgraded the US last month
-
Nationalist wins tight Polish presidential election
speed read Karol Nawrocki beat Rafal Trzaskowski in Poland's presidential runoff election
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read