During training, two Japanese navy helicopters crash in the Pacific Ocean, leaving one person dead and seven people missing.
The defense minister of Japan announced on Sunday that two helicopters from the Japanese military, carrying eight crew members, may have collided during a midnight training mission before crashing in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo. After being pulled from the water, one crew member was declared dead, and the remaining seven were being looked for by rescuers.
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that the two SH-60K helicopters from the Maritime Self-Defense Force, each carrying four crew members, lost communication late on Saturday near Torishima island, some 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo.
Although the cause of the crash was not immediately revealed, Kihara stated that authorities believe it is “highly likely” that the two helicopters collided before going into the water.
He also said that his government would temporarily halt all SH-60 training flights. Adm. Ryo Sakai, the chief of staff of the navy, announced that the trainings will be put on hold while the reason of the disaster is investigated and preventative measures are put in place.
According to Kihara, the recovery of a flight data recorder, a blade, and pieces that appear to be from both helicopters in the same vicinity indicates that the two SH-60Ks were flying near to one another. To ascertain what caused the disaster, officials will examine the flight data.
The MSDF and Air Self-Defense Force jointly deployed 12 warships and seven aircraft on Sunday in an attempt to increase the scope of the search and rescue operations for the missing personnel. Aircraft and patrol boats from the Japan Coast Guard also participated in the mission.
The United States has offered to assist with the search and rescue, according to a message posted on social media platform X by U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.
“We shall unite, standing next to our friend and ally, Japan. During this trying moment, my thoughts are with the crew members, their families, and friends,” he remarked.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries modified and produced the Sikorsky-developed Seahawk helicopters, which are twin-engine, multi-mission aircraft, in Japan. According to Kihara, they were conducting anti-submarine training in the waters at night. At 10:38 p.m. (1338 GMT), one lost contact and one minute later, it sent out an automatic emergency alert. About 270 kilometers (150 nautical miles) east of Torishima island, they lost communication.
The fact that just one distress signal, known as an emergency locator transmitter, was audible indicates that the two helicopters were in close proximity to one other as their signals shared a common frequency and were therefore indistinguishable, according to Kihara.
The SH-60K is primarily utilized for anti-submarine warfare on destroyers, although it can also be used for other missions including search and rescue. There are perhaps 70 of the modified helicopters in Japan.
Defense authorities stated that the training on Saturday was limited to the Japanese navy and was not a component of an international exercise. They claimed that no foreign warships or planes were seen in the region.