© wikipedia.org
A US military aircraft has crashed into the sea off the coast of the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, according to local media reports. The coastguard is reported to have dispatched a helicopter and patrol boat to search for the plane.
The military aircraft, which is believed to be an AV-8B Harrier II ground attack aircraft, was stationed at the US airbase on the island of Okinawa.
According to the Okinawa Times, the fighter plane crashed after taking off into sea off the island's east coast.
The crash site is reportedly 150km east of the Kunigami prefecture, in the island's north.
The 11th Regional Coast Guard is conducting a search for the plane, with a helicopter and patrol boat having reportedly been dispatched.
The crew of the aircraft has been rescued, the Japanese daily
Ryukyu Shimpo reports, citing local officials.
Comment: Update (Sept. 22):
Yesterday, North Carolina's Governor declared a state of emergency and called in the National Guard to deal with the protests. The man reported as killed is now said to have survived, and is on life support - the city tweeted that the shooting was "civilian on civilian", but bystanders point out that he was standing between two ministers, and police were close by. Bank of America employees were told not to go to work on Thursday, the Transit System was shut down. The deceased Scott's wife called for protestors to do so peacefully, and not damage property. Some ignored that call. Charlotte's mayor is considering implementing a curfew.
Last night 9 people were injured and 44 were arrested. The city's police chief refused to make public the tape of Scott's shooting.
The media is having a field day reporting on the antisocial segment of the protestors, who were mostly peaceful for the first day, until police started firing tear gas. For example, Charlotte's CW affiliate WCCB reported that protesters tried "to throw still photographer into fire". A photographer was attacks, but there's no evidence he was almost immolated.
For example, there are several reports about CNN reporter Ed Lavandera getting body-slammed by a protester. What they don't all report is that it was an accident, and the man later gave Lavandera a hug and apologized.
A video of a homeless man in London getting beaten up by violent youths is even floating around as evidence of the violent "black thugs" in Charlotte.
If you can't control dissent, you can always control the media.