One dead, 7 missing after 2 Japanese navy choppers crash in Pacific

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crew members crashed within the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo throughout a nighttime coaching flight after presumably colliding with one another, the nation’s protection minister mentioned Sunday. One crew member who had been recovered from the waters was later pronounced lifeless, whereas rescuers looked for seven others who had been nonetheless lacking.

The 2 SH-60K choppers from the Maritime Self Protection Power had been carrying 4 crew every and misplaced contact late Saturday close to Torishima Island about 370 miles south of Tokyo, Protection Minister Minoru Kihara advised reporters.

The reason for the crash was not instantly recognized, however the two helicopters may need collided with one another earlier than crashing into the water, Kihara mentioned.

Rescuers have recovered a flight knowledge recorder, a blade from every helicopter, and fragments believed to be from each choppers in the identical space, indicators that the 2 SH-60Ks had been flying shut to one another, Kihara mentioned. Officers will analyze the flight knowledge to attempt to decide what led to the crash.

The MSDF deployed eight warships and 5 plane for the search and rescue of the lacking crew.

The helicopters, twin-engine, multi-mission plane developed by Sikorsky and referred to as Seahawks, had been modified and produced in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. They had been on nighttime anti-submarine coaching within the waters, Kihara mentioned. One misplaced contact at 10:38 p.m. native time Saturday and despatched an automated emergency sign a minute later.

Just one misery name was heard — one other signal the 2 helicopters had been close to the identical place, as a result of their indicators use the identical frequency and couldn’t be differentiated, Kihara mentioned.

One belonged to an air base in Nagasaki, and the opposite to a base in Tokushima prefecture.

The SH-60K plane is often deployed on destroyers for anti-submarine missions.

Saturday’s coaching solely concerned the Japanese navy and was not a part of a multinational train, protection officers mentioned. They mentioned no overseas plane or warships had been noticed within the space.

Japan, underneath its 2022 safety technique, has been accelerating its navy buildup and fortifying deterrence within the southwestern Japanese islands within the Pacific and East China Sea to counter threats from China’s more and more assertive navy actions. Japan lately has performed its personal intensive naval workout routines in addition to joint drills with its ally the USA and different companions.

Saturday’s crash comes a yr after a Floor Self-Protection Power UH-60 Blackhawk crashed off the southwestern Japanese island of Miyako, leaving all 10 crew members lifeless. In January 2022, a Air Self-Protection F-15 fighter jet crashed off the northcentral coast of Japan, killing two crew.

Japan’s NHK public tv mentioned no climate advisories had been issued within the space on the time of Saturday’s crash.