US Marines identify four dead in Norway plane crash

Clockwise from left: Capt. Matthew Tomkiewicz, Capt. Ross Reynolds, Cpl. Jacob Moore and Gunnery Sgt. James Speedy

The US Marine Corps has identified its four members killed in a plane crash during Nato military exercises in Norway last week.

Captain Matthew Tomkiewicz, 27, Capt. Ross Reynolds, 27, Gunnery Sgt. James Speedy, 30, and Cpl. Jacob Moore, 24, died on Friday, the Marines said.

All four were aboard an Osprey aircraft that crashed in bad weather.

"These Marines were simply doing what they loved," their commanding general said on Facebook.

"We honour them by taking to the skies again with their memory in our hearts, with nerves of steel, and ready to answer our great Nation's call," Major General Michael Cederholm wrote.

The fallen Marines were participating in Cold Response, a Norwegian-led military exercise that involves over 30,000 soldiers from 27 different countries.

The aircraft was supposed to make a landing at 18:00 GMT on Friday but was reported missing by Norwegian authorities amid bad weather conditions.

Local police in Nordland County confirmed on Saturday morning that the crew had been killed in the accident.

The downed MV-22B Osprey was later discovered near the town of Bodø and the bodies of the four crew members were retrieved via Royal Norwegian Air Force helicopter.

It is the first time an Osprey has crashed in five years.