A US Marine Corps Harrier jump-jet has landed into the sea shortly after taking off from a base on the island of Okinawa, south of Japan.

Japanese coast guard vessels and helicopters quickly responded to the scene, and have rescued the AV8B Harrier and It’s crew.

Okinawa is a key US military facility, close to South Korea and the East China Sea.

Some 25,000 US troops and military personnel are based at an enormous facility on the island, which was the scene of intense fighting during World War II.

The base is now a pivotal point in US military strategy in the Asia Pacific region as it is close to disputed waters such as the Sekaku/Diaoyou islands which both Japan and China claim as their own.

It is also a key facility for responding to threats from rogue nuclear nation North Korea.