A US Force Osprey has crashed off the coast of Japan, with eight servicemen on board the transport plane.

Three people have been recovered from the wreckage so far.

Their current status is unknown.

The plane crashed off the coast of the island of Yakushima, in the Kagoshima prefecture in southern Japan.

Officials were alert to the crash approximately 2.47 p.m local time (5:47 a.m. GMT).

The 10th Regional Coast Guard then sent patrol boats and aircraft to the area.

According to the Yakushima Fisheries Association, several boats that were fishing in the surrounding waters searched the area and discovered three individuals.

A helicopter spotted later what appeared to debris from the sky at around 4.00pm (7.00am GMT).