A United States Navy aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the ocean southeast of Okinawa, Japan, according to a statement from the U.S. Navy.
The crash occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the Navy said.
The names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending next of kin notification.
Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff, the statement said.
The aircraft was en-route to the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea. USS Ronald Reagan is conducting search and rescue operations.
The cause of the crash is not known at this time although Japanese Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera told reporters that the U.S. Navy had informed him that the crash could have been the result of engine trouble, Reuters reported.
