One dead, seven missing after Japan helicopters crash
One person died and seven were missing on Sunday after an apparent accident overnight involving two Japanese military helicopters out to sea, officials said. A spokesman for Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) confirmed the late Saturday incident and said that one person was rescued but later confirmed dead. Defence Minister Minoru Kihara said rescuers "spotted what are believed to be part of the aircraft in the sea, and we believe that the two helicopters crashed." "At this point the cause is unknown, but firstly we do our best to save lives," Kihara told reporters. He said the helicopters were "doing drills to counter submarines at night". Hours later, Kihara told reporters that the crew member who was rescued "was confirmed dead," according to the spokesman. He also said the ministry retrieved flight recorders and was "analysing (the cause of the incident) including possibility of a collision between the two." The helicopters appear to have crashed during night-time training off the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean, broadcaster NHK reported. Communication with one chopper was lost at 10.38pm (1338 GMT) off the island of Torishima, and one minute later an emergency signal was received from this aircraft, NHK reported. Around 25 minutes later, at around 11.04pm, the military realised that communication with the other aircraft was also lost in the same area. The Mitsubishi SH-60K helicopters from the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) are mainly based on and operate from naval destroyers. The MSDF said as there were no other aircraft nor vessels in nearby waters, involvement of another country in the incident is unlikely, NHK added. (AFP)