4 Marines killed in Norway crash amid severe weather
An aircraft crash in northern Norway took the life of four Americans during a military exercise, leaving behind wreckage in a perilous weather zone.
By
Thomas Leffler, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Mar 21, 2022 2:46 PM EST
|
Updated Mar 22, 2022 6:47 AM EST
Four U.S. Marines were killed in an Osprey aircraft crash in Norway, during a large NATO military exercise on March 18.
A foray into the depths of severe freezing conditions has led to the death of four United States Marines.
On Friday, March 18, the four assigned to the Second Marine Aircraft Wing were killed due to a crash of an American MV-22 Osprey aircraft, with the plane crashing in northern Norway during a NATO military exercise. Harsh weather conditions were occurring at the time of the crash, and in the aftermath, an array of weather hazards has hindered the investigation of the crash site.
“The Osprey belongs to the U.S. Marine Corps and is taking part in the Norwegian military exercise Cold Response in Norway,” said a statement by Norway’s Armed Forces Friday. “The aircraft has a crew of four and was out on a training mission in Nordland County, northern Norway.”
U.S. Marines inspect a MV-22B Osprey prior to flight at Norwegian Air Force Base Bodo during Exercise Cold Response 22, Norway, March 16, 2022. Four U.S. Marines were killed when their Osprey aircraft crashed in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise unrelated to Russia's war in Ukraine, authorities said Saturday, March 19. (Lance Cpl. Elias E. Pimentel III/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)
The Armed Forces, along with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway, confirmed that the investigation of the crash is continuing. The aircraft was on its way to the city of Bodo Friday evening, before being reported missing at 6:26 p.m. local time. The next morning, the Second Marine Expeditionary Force stated that local authorities located the aircraft wreckage from the air.
On Sunday, the Expeditionary Force team released the names of the Marines: Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27; Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24. All four were with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 and were based out of Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina.
“It is with great sadness we have received the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night … our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives, and fellow soldiers in their unit,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store shared Saturday via Twitter.
Footage taken March 5 from Bodo, Norway, shows exercises taken by NATO's Cold Response participants in the air. A similar aircraft was taken by four United States Marines before going down in a fatal crash in northern Norway March 18. (Photo capture via Cpl. Adam Henke/DVIDS)
Cold Response is a biannual NATO exercise, hosted by Norway, and currently has approximately 30,000 soldiers participating from more than 25 countries. The objective, the NATO website states, is “to allow allies and partners to train together to face any type of situation.” The training allows practicing movement in “extreme and harsh environments,” with drills being “defensive in nature.” Cold Response has taken place biannually since 2006, with the 2022 edition announced long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Per AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, a storm passed just to the south of Norway during Friday evening hours, with observation sites closest to where the aircraft went down reporting strong winds.
“Winds were generally sustained at 25-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph,” Gilbert said. “The cloud deck at the time of the crash looked to have been relatively low, and there was likely some drizzle occurring as well.”
While the wreckage has been located from the air, it “has not been possible” to enter the site, the Armed Forces stated, due to weather conditions in the region. Police and rescue crews have been paused as well, waiting on further instruction while waiting out multiple forms of severe weather. Nordland Chief in Staff Bent Eilertsen reports a potential landslide area in the crash location, while Gilbert says loss of visibility was another factor in the initial wreckage search.
“A few hours after the crash, visibilities dropped significantly as steady rain and even stronger winds pushed into the area," Gilbert said.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Weather News
4 Marines killed in Norway crash amid severe weather
An aircraft crash in northern Norway took the life of four Americans during a military exercise, leaving behind wreckage in a perilous weather zone.
By Thomas Leffler, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Mar 21, 2022 2:46 PM EST | Updated Mar 22, 2022 6:47 AM EST
Four U.S. Marines were killed in an Osprey aircraft crash in Norway, during a large NATO military exercise on March 18.
A foray into the depths of severe freezing conditions has led to the death of four United States Marines.
On Friday, March 18, the four assigned to the Second Marine Aircraft Wing were killed due to a crash of an American MV-22 Osprey aircraft, with the plane crashing in northern Norway during a NATO military exercise. Harsh weather conditions were occurring at the time of the crash, and in the aftermath, an array of weather hazards has hindered the investigation of the crash site.
“The Osprey belongs to the U.S. Marine Corps and is taking part in the Norwegian military exercise Cold Response in Norway,” said a statement by Norway’s Armed Forces Friday. “The aircraft has a crew of four and was out on a training mission in Nordland County, northern Norway.”
U.S. Marines inspect a MV-22B Osprey prior to flight at Norwegian Air Force Base Bodo during Exercise Cold Response 22, Norway, March 16, 2022. Four U.S. Marines were killed when their Osprey aircraft crashed in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise unrelated to Russia's war in Ukraine, authorities said Saturday, March 19. (Lance Cpl. Elias E. Pimentel III/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)
The Armed Forces, along with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway, confirmed that the investigation of the crash is continuing. The aircraft was on its way to the city of Bodo Friday evening, before being reported missing at 6:26 p.m. local time. The next morning, the Second Marine Expeditionary Force stated that local authorities located the aircraft wreckage from the air.
On Sunday, the Expeditionary Force team released the names of the Marines: Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27; Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24. All four were with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 and were based out of Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina.
“It is with great sadness we have received the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night … our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives, and fellow soldiers in their unit,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store shared Saturday via Twitter.
Footage taken March 5 from Bodo, Norway, shows exercises taken by NATO's Cold Response participants in the air. A similar aircraft was taken by four United States Marines before going down in a fatal crash in northern Norway March 18. (Photo capture via Cpl. Adam Henke/DVIDS)
Cold Response is a biannual NATO exercise, hosted by Norway, and currently has approximately 30,000 soldiers participating from more than 25 countries. The objective, the NATO website states, is “to allow allies and partners to train together to face any type of situation.” The training allows practicing movement in “extreme and harsh environments,” with drills being “defensive in nature.” Cold Response has taken place biannually since 2006, with the 2022 edition announced long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Per AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, a storm passed just to the south of Norway during Friday evening hours, with observation sites closest to where the aircraft went down reporting strong winds.
“Winds were generally sustained at 25-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph,” Gilbert said. “The cloud deck at the time of the crash looked to have been relatively low, and there was likely some drizzle occurring as well.”
While the wreckage has been located from the air, it “has not been possible” to enter the site, the Armed Forces stated, due to weather conditions in the region. Police and rescue crews have been paused as well, waiting on further instruction while waiting out multiple forms of severe weather. Nordland Chief in Staff Bent Eilertsen reports a potential landslide area in the crash location, while Gilbert says loss of visibility was another factor in the initial wreckage search.
“A few hours after the crash, visibilities dropped significantly as steady rain and even stronger winds pushed into the area," Gilbert said.
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