U.S. forces resumed flight drills Monday at the Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, despite a protest by Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha following a helicopter crash in the city last week.
The drills were resumed shortly after Brig. Gen. James Flock, commander of the marine base, met Iha to receive his protest about Friday's crash of a CH-53D transport helicopter on the campus of Okinawa International University.
Flock apologized for the accident but said the U.S. military would resume flight drills using aircraft other than CH-53D helicopters after conducting thorough investigations into their safety.