Okinawa Assembly protests F-15 crash with resolution

The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly has put its two cents into the post-crash dissection of what happened with a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter that crashed into the Pacific Ocean last month, condemning the Air Force as it unanimously passed a resolution protesting the incident.

The F-15 went down the morning of May 28th, about 70 kilometers east of Okinawa, after a what authorities believe was an engine malfunction.  The pilot ejected safely, and the Air Force grounded all its Okinawa-based F-15’s while a series of safety inspections wee conducted.

The Prefectural Assembly presented the protest resolution to the 18th Wing Public Affairs Officer at Kadena Air Base, Maj. Christopher Anderson.  The resolution said “this incident has impacted those in the fisheries industry and the rest of the citizens in the prefecture with great concern and fear.’  The resolution called for the Air Force to suspend training with the F-15’s until a cause for the crash is determined.

The crash took place near lucrative fishing grounds near Kunigami Village, and that, says the Assembly, could “have directly affected fishermen operating in the area, and triggered a terrible tragedy.”  The resolution slammed the Air Force decision to bring the fighters back online after only two days and without determining the crash cause, calling it “truly regrettable.”

The Air Force noted it inspected some 50 F-15’s using more than 2,000 military personnel.  It says an accident investigation report will be issued within 30 ~ 90 days.

  • smithfroont

    I feel like the Okinawan people should put more money toward their people’s social and domestic issues. The taxpaying people of Okinawa should be ashamed at this frivolous garbage the Okinawa People’s Assembly has initiated. The fish? What ever happened to somebody possibly dying in an airplane crash? This is solid proof of the lack of respect for human life some Okinawans have.

    • jack

      Lack of respect for human life? LOL like servicemen display respect for life, think about your countries problems

      • Smilesgo

        If you’re one of those retards who uses exceptions to the norm as evidence to blanket all service members in the way you have suggested, then you lose this argument hands down. You’re comparing two groups; but only one with a malicious and da. You lose.

        • jack

          seems like the same comparison as in the comment above mine

          • jack

            seems like you need reading comprehension refresher classes.

  • Brian

    Did they recommend stopping all Air China Flights after one erupted into a ball of fire on the Naha tarmac a few years ago? No, they did not. Did they suspend helicopter operations after a JADF helicopter lost an entire panel mid-flight a couple of years ago? No they did not. In 2012 when a JASDF F-15 made an emergency landing here did they recommend halting all operations while the problem was studied? No, they did not. Same with an aborted take-off of one here two years earlier. Please, enough already from the fishermen’s association mafias.

08:06 29 Mar , 2024