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Metal bottle falls from U.S. Marine Osprey onto residence in Okinawa

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making a mountain out of a mole hill

1 ( +28 / -27 )

"It should not have happened, as (incidents like this) make people in the area worried," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference Wednesday.

Thankfully, it wasn't a Chinese or North Korean missile that landed in front of the guy's door. That is something that doesn't need to be worried about.

-10 ( +15 / -25 )

I live directly in the flight pattern of Heavy Lift Navy Helicopters, I put a freakin’ strobe on the roof…if one of these guys dropped something here, someone’s gunna’die.

-9 ( +10 / -19 )

The canteen dropped from an aircraft could have hit and killed someone. Of course the US forces expressed regrets and promised a thorough investigation but no American will ever get disciplined or punished for this.

14 ( +24 / -10 )

Looks like a crew member felt free to throw the litter out of the Osprey window carelessly. That's what the U.S. base issue is.

wayan Ubud,

Do you really think it is making a mountain out of a mole hill? If such incidents occur repeatedly?

-1 ( +15 / -16 )

Is there video footage or something really identifying the bottle being one from an airbase there? Anyone who lives there and has unlimited hate on those bases, forces or helicopters could easily buy such a bottle, decorate it with some ‘identifying’ things, something in English, with Stars and Stripes, a phantasy name print Sgt. Miller or so, and then maltreat the bottle with a hammer or throw it somewhere else from a higher roof, and then whenever it fits, complain about such an ‘incident’. Personally I have it with probabilities, you know, and I believe the former ones, with those helicopter parts or window parts etc. with those really unique to Ospreys material, but here, a bottle forgotten on the helicopter? Come on, I doubt a bit, that they are allowed to take personal things into hangar and workplace , but are ordered having to drink or eat inside, at a cafeteria or so.

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

A stainless steel water bottle fell from a U.S. Marine Osprey aircraft onto the premises of a residence in Okinawa Prefecture, but there were no reports of injuries or property damage, local authorities said Wednesday.

Sounds suspicious. Evidence other than a stainless steel water bottle that could have come from anywhere?

Sven AsaiToday  08:26 am JST

Is there video footage or something really identifying the bottle being one from an airbase there? 

Exactly. Great point.

voiceofokinawaToday  08:07 am JST

Looks like a crew member felt free to throw the litter out of the Osprey window carelessly. That's what the U.S. base issue is.

Japanese don't litter? Stroll through some of the back streets of Kokusai-dori.

If such incidents occur repeatedly?

How many times has this happened before?

-4 ( +11 / -15 )

Nothing should "fall out" of any US military aircraft , whether it's a craft component, someone's M4 or a water bottle. As stupid as it sounds it needs to be invesigated, first to determine if it is actually from the aircraft, and two, if so, what idiot dropped it.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

Some jarhead forgot to dummy cord their thermos while in an open doors flight. That’s gonna be a month with a “pet rock.”

Those who know will get it.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

Sounds like the plot of the classic movie “the gods must be crazy”

7 ( +8 / -1 )

The U.S. Marines explained that the bottle fell from the tilt-rotor transport aircraft when it took off from the U.S. Futenma air base in Ginowan around 6:45 p.m. 

Seems there's no doubt

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I'm glad it didn't hit anybody.

But if it did, I hope it would be one of those who say it's ok so there would be no additional problem

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

No reports of injuries, no reports of property damage, but heaps of people immediately calling for the US forces to leave so they can rush into the arms of China.

voiceofokinawa: "Looks like a crew member felt free to throw the litter out of the Osprey window carelessly. That's what the U.S. base issue is."

Proof? All we have proof of is your extreme bias.

"Do you really think it is making a mountain out of a mole hill?"

Absolutely. And as to the "occur repeatedly", when was the last time it happened? And before you go looking up parts falling from planes in Japan, don't forget to specify "US military" in the search window or you'll find hundreds of JAL and ANA-related articles, and also don't forget to throw in the part where the military threw it off the plane intentionally.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Isn’t that the plot to the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The US military has a history of treating foreign soil as their dumping grounds.

0 ( +11 / -11 )

@RegBilk

Thankfully, it wasn't a Chinese or North Korean missile that landed in front of the guy's door.

It would make sense if you stopped your sentence right here.

That is something that doesn't need to be worried about.

I think you meant to say this instead of that. Also you wouldn't be saying that if that bottle fell in your property whilst your kids are playing outside. It's metal and from that height can weigh a lot.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

LDP looked up and thought it was a gift from the gods..

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

go home guys and do it at home to own citizens.war has ended in 1945 and cold war in 90ies...

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

American military should just go home! Japan should arm it’s own military and they can create one of the best military forces in the world with all the cash that they are wasting on paying The US for their presences in Japan!

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

wayan ubud:

making a mountain out of a mole hill

Really? It it would have fallen on your head you would have made a mountain out of a big bump and one hell of a headache, I presume...

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

FYIToday  10:21 am JST

SOLUTION: Plastic disposable water bottles on flights.

Good idea.

アーメドToday  10:49 am JST

I think you meant to say this instead of that.

Actually, no.

JimToday  11:12 am JST

American military should just go home! 

That is the home for many American military members.

ebisenToday  11:29 am JST

Really? It it would have fallen on your head you would have made a mountain out of a big bump and one hell of a headache,

But it didn't.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Japanese self defense plane parts of the cockpit flew off and they still haven't found it.

Japan surrendered its country after being defeated from a war it started and the USA military will never leave Japan.

Japan stole the Ryukyus and named them Okinawa and continues to treat the native population disrespectfully.

Atleast it wasn't a ceramic cylinder filled with infected fleas like the imperial Japanese army used over Nanjing.

It was just a waterbottle and no need to get too excited about it.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

RegBilk,

Littering in public places is of course prohibited by law here. And you dare say that since litters are found here and there in the back streets of Naha, the crew of Ospreys and CH helicopters are free to throw litter from the sky. There's no law to deal with U.S. offenders, though.

How many times has this kind of incidents (something falling from the sky) happened before? Countless times if you take into consideration cases that had occurred before the pre-reversion days.

Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling down from an aircraft by parachute.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Accident happens, but as a responsible person/ military/ marine they should know that that bottle will be more than enough to kill someone from certain height. It was fortunate that nobody got hurt. Okinawa is not a warzone or desert area, It's a city. You guys should be more careful.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

voiceofokinawaToday  12:16 pm JST

Littering in public places is of course prohibited by law here. And you dare say that since litters are found here and there in the back streets of Naha, the crew of Ospreys and CH helicopters are free to throw litter from the sky.

No. But as you admit there is litter in Naha, which is an intentional act of disposing of waste. With the Osprey incident, that was an accident, so henceforth, not littering.

How many times has this kind of incidents (something falling from the sky) happened before? Countless times if you take into consideration cases that had occurred before the pre-reversion days.

How many car accidents on Okinawa involve only Japanese, and how many involve military members? The numbers are not even close to each other.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

This is front page news for sure.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Seems someone can't hold a drink

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Another incident. Thankfully, no one was hurt. -

2 ( +4 / -2 )

RegBilk,

Memories are kept refreshed if similar incidents/accidents recur constantly. That's the reason why I said in my post of Nov. 25 12:16 pm JST that: "Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling from an aircraft by parachute." Accidents that occurred 56 years ago thus remain vivid among us to this day.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Okinawa, Osprey: whatever happens is irrelevant, Okinawans want it banned.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

In the recent case, it was only a bottle, and no one was injured-

Yup let's wait until someone gets hurt before doing anything

1 ( +2 / -1 )

To be Correct, nothing should FALL from ANY Aircraft, whether it took off from Futenma, Kadena or Naha. Now, that being said, Let Ye’ Who’s Birds don’t lose Feathers cast the first stone.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

ianToday  04:23 pm JST

Yup let's wait until someone gets hurt before doing anything

I'm willing to gamble.

According to voiceof, we've been waiting 56 years; yet since then, no injuries from falling whatevers:

voiceofokinawaToday  03:25 pm JST

*"Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling from an aircraft by parachute." Accidents that occurred 56 years ago thus remain vivid among us to this day.*

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Those Ospreys are worse than knackered old transit vans, things falling out of them and bits falling off onto the houses below. Do the crews not know how to stow things away? Or keep doors and hatches shut? Doesn't take much effort... or is that not the marine way? Hoorah!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I'm willing to gamble.

I'm expecting you to, doesn't strike as having any sense.

What you saw was just a bottle that didn't hit anything

It's not just about things falling but the reason/s.

Carelessness, stupidity, neglect, whatever it was that could as easily have caused something more significant/dangerous.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

As the saying goes, the only thing dumber than a marine grunt, is a marine officer.

As for water bottles, they aren't personal items, but issued.

Interestingly is the play, citing the incident: this is why we (USA) want to move the base. Moving the base would destroy a beautiful and fragile area.

Fact is, the marines are irrelevant. Their 'mission' is amphibious landings - which no longer exist. The base should be shutdown and closed. It serves no actual purpose - especially for Okinawa. It's a boondoggle paid for by Japanese citizens and American taxpayers.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

How about we (American Miltary) leave Japan all around. Then China or maybe North Korea with their missile shooting over jp can over run jp. Then there would be no more jp. # 2. I’d like to see proof that it was actually a canteen that fell out. Could have been anything. Base is in a residential area. I highly doubt that it fell from a aircraft and landed on someone’s lawn. Lawn?!? Really?!?! Lol if it really happened as they say then soldiers need to be more careful. But don’t get all bent outta shape about spilled milk. My opinion, n I’m ride’n wit it. A couple of bad apples in the bunch. Doesn’t mean we all mess up. To my jp citizens. You should be glad that a strong nations military has your countries back. If not. It’s a whole different story here in jp

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

So you have an existing military airfield, which the local government then allows companies to build housing right up to the edge (wonder who got paid for that), people are foolish enough to buy a house with an airfield right next door and then they start complaining about aircraft overflying their property?

Hmmm, I smell fish, who will profit from the newly released land if the base is vacated?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

This looks like an accident and not on purpose.... Still not happy about it.

Best approach is to contribute more to our defense and think about making adjustments to the constitution. We should continue our alliance and relations with U.S.A. But make sure we can protect, defend our interest, a relationship that's more equal and not one sided. It will also benefit America by having a stronger ally in the region, instead of a weak Pacifist country waiting to be rescued.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Accident? Of course. No Marine would get into a Osprey and say to his fellow Marines, "Watch this".

Of course investigate it. See if it was a lose item or a careless placement. Whatever. But this is not the end of the world. UCMJ will take care of this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Those Ospreys are worse than knackered old transit vans, things falling out of them and bits falling off onto the houses below. Do the crews not know how to stow things away? Or keep doors and hatches shut? Doesn't take much effort... or is that not the marine way? Hoorah!

In the heat and humidity of that region you fly with the doors and windows open or you roast. They are not air conditioned. Sometimes crew will sit on an open ramp attached to the deck with a gunner's belt.

Someone in the crew goofed up and will certainly hear about it loud and clear. The aircraft commander will likely get his or her butt chewed too simply because as the aircraft commander they are responsible for the conduct of the flight. Not the first time and probably not the last. Aviation writ large has an acronym for it, TFOA for Things Falling Off Aircraft. I still laugh thinking about the Maintenance Chief who had to fetch a panel that fell from one of his squadrons S-3 Vikings into the yard of a swanky waterfront mansion in a wealthy gated community in Coronado right in front of the cameras of every TV station in Southern California. Every station had a mic shoved under his chin as he loaded the errant panel into the back of the Navy pick up and got the heck out of there.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So you have an existing military airfield, which the local government then allows companies to build housing right up to the edge (wonder who got paid for that), people are foolish enough to buy a house with an airfield right next door and then they start complaining about aircraft overflying their property?

Hmmm, I smell fish, who will profit from the newly released land if the base is vacated?

The homes and farms were there before the airfield. The US took the land from its owners during WWII to build that airfield and has never returned it to them. The area was mixed agriculture, homes and businesses before the invasion. Ginowan City was badly damaged during the invasion.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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