USMC Osprey crash during Cold Response
A US Marine Corps Bell Boeing Osprey of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 Raging Bulls ('EM-xx'), taking part in the exercise Cold Response, crashed near Gråtådalen, Beiarn, Nordland, on 18 March. Its last known position was on Saltfjellet, one of the largest mountain ranges in Norway, located south of Bodø and through which the Arctic Circle passes.
Around 21:17 hours local time the wreckage was located, but a rescue mission was postponed due to bad weather conditions (rain, heavy cloud cover and strong winds with gusts as high as 52 miles per hour).
When weather conditions improved and they could reach the crash site the rescuers found all four persons onboard had not survived the crash, and the helicopter destroyed.
The police launched an investigation and notified the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN). Roughly 3,000 Marines from the II Marine Expeditionary Force are in Norway as part of Cold Response, a large biannual NATO training exercise.
Despite the tragedy the exercise continued as planned.
Pictures: Theodor Haugen, Norwegian Armed Forces & USMC Lance Cpl. Elias E. Pimentel III