The US military's striking V-22 Osprey helicopter has been grounded with immediate effect, following another dangerous incident due to mechanical failure. This suspension comes merely six months after the aircraft was cleared for flight after a spate of fatal accidents.

In a harrowing event last year, eight Marines died off the Japanese coast when substandard steel in a rotor gearbox led to a disastrous mid-flight failure and crash. The mishap prompted the grounding of the entire Osprey fleet across the Navy, Marines, and Air Force while engineers sought a fix.

However, on December 9, the Naval Air Systems Command, responsible for deeming military aircraft safe, mandated an immediate fleet-wide grounding. This decision was made in light of a "near-crash" involving the Bell-Boeing manufactured chopper in New Mexico.

The close call occurred in November when an Osprey crew encountered engine failure due to the disintegration of an internal component. Fortunately, this incident did not result in any fatalities.

Naval Air Systems Command has taken the precautionary measure to ground all Ospreys as they continue to investigate the crash. "The safety of our V-22 aircrew is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring our Sailors, Airmen and Marines are able to successfully complete their missions and return home safely," the authority declared.

Vice Admiral Carl Chebi, the Navy chief who boldly faced Congress, revealed over the summer that military engineers were earnestly searching for both "material and non-material" solutions to address the grave issue that led to the catastrophic Japan crash, as per Flight Global's reports. Chebi conceded at the time: "Based on the data that I have today, I'm expecting that this will not occur until mid-2025."

A harrowing figure looms over the Osprey's 17-year service - more than 30 fatalities due to crashes, a tally so shocking it prompted a full-scale review of all incidents involving the aircraft.

Yet, merely three months subsequent to Japan's fatal incident, with a mechanical fix still elusive, the Pentagon resumed its use under stringent flight restrictions. The 2023 Osprey crash was the most devastating accident the US has suffered since a 2009 Afghanistan crash that resulted in 16 deaths.