Major search operation after Japanese naval helicopters crashed

TOKYO: A major search continued off the coast of Japan on Monday for seven people missing after two Navy helicopters apparently collided over the weekend, killing one crew member.

The SH-60K helicopters, each carrying four crew members, conducted submarine location exercises off the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean late Saturday evening.

Ten ships and five planes from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force combed the waters, aided by others from the Air Self-Defense Force and the coast guard, a Navy official told Agence France-Presse.

“We have a 24-hour operation for the search, which took place all day and night,” the naval officer said.

Shortly after the incident, rescuers found one person who was later confirmed dead, along with debris and flight recorders, but there was no trace of the seven missing crew members.

A crew member walks past an SH-60K helicopter on the deck of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer “JS Ise” during a three-day US-Japan maritime exercise in the Philippine Sea on January 31. 2024. PHOTO RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP

This photo taken on January 31, 2024, shows crew members checking an SH-60K helicopter on the deck of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer “JS Ise” during a three-day US-Japan maritime exercise in the Philippine Sea. PHOTO RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP

This photo taken on January 31, 2024, shows a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force SH-60K helicopter landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during a three-day US-Japan maritime exercise in the Philippine Sea. PHOTO RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP

“It is very unfortunate that we have lost our key personnel because they underwent very rigorous night training to perform their duties,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during a televised legislative committee session on Monday. .

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said there was no information from the flight recorders so far indicating technical problems with the aircraft.

Navy Chief of Staff Ryo Sakai canceled a planned visit to China where he was to attend the Western Pacific Naval Symposium.

Communication with one of the helicopters was lost off Torishima island at 10:38 pm on Saturday and a distress signal was received from this aircraft a minute later, broadcaster NHK reported.

At around 11:04 p.m., the military realized that communications with the other aircraft in the same area had also been lost.

Last April, a Japanese army UH-60JA helicopter with ten people on board crashed near Miyako Island in southern Okinawa. There were no survivors.