All four people aboard a US military plane died after the aircraft crashed in a remote part of northern Norway last Friday during a NATO-led military training exercise.
“As far as the police are aware, all four are of American nationality,” local police said Saturday. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere offered condolences for what he said was “the death of four Americans”.
“It is with great sadness that we receive the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night. Soldiers participated in NATO’s Cold Response exercise. Our deepest condolences go out to the soldiers’ families, relatives and comrades in their unit,” said the Norwegian Prime Minister.
It is with great sadness we have received the message that four American soldiers died in a plane crash last night. The soldiers participated in the NATO exercise Cold Response. Our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives and fellow soldiers in their unit.
— Jonas Gahr Støre (@jonasgahrstore) March 19, 2022
The MV-22B Osprey aircraft belonging to the US Marine Corps was participating in an exercise called Cold Response, organized by NATO. The military plane had been missing since it crashed on Friday.
Rescue services arrived at the crash site by land early Saturday after helicopters were unable to land due to bad weather conditions. There were strong winds, constant rain and risk of avalanches, according to local weather forecasts.
“Police arrived at the scene of the accident and regretfully confirmed that all four on board the plane died,” Ivar Bo Nilsson, head of the Nordland police operation, said in a statement.
Police are investigating the cause of the accident, although their work has been halted due to weather conditions. Measures should be resumed as soon as the weather improves.
About 30,000 troops from 27 countries are involved in the Cold Response, an exercise designed to prepare NATO member countries for defense in a possible attack.
Cold Response 2022
About 30,000 soldiers from partner countries and allies of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) began, on Monday (14), a series of military exercises in Norway in the so-called Cold Response 2022 (Cold Response 2022, in English) .
Cold Respose is a series of military exercises that bring thousands of soldiers from NATO allied and partner countries to Norway to test their ability to work together in adverse weather conditions, with freezing temperatures, ice and snow. These exercises, which last until the 1st of April, include the three branches of the Armed Forces – air, land and naval – and involve 200 aircraft and around 50 ships.
On its official website, NATO explains that the practice of these joint exercises makes it possible to identify what works and what needs to be improved to ensure an effective response to any threat or crisis. It is not a military operation with offensive purposes, but a training one.
Source: CNN Brasil
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