Japanese Navy Helicopters Crash: Investigation Launched
During an exercise, two helicopters belonging to the Japanese navy crashed into the sea, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday.
The ministry added that the body of at least one of the eight crew members has been found, as reported by Reuters and cited by News.ro.
The two SH-60 helicopters were conducting an anti-submarine warfare exercise near Torishima Island in the Izu archipelago, situated in the Philippine Sea, on Saturday evening.
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara stated at a press conference that an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He added that the flight records of the two aircraft were found close to each other, suggesting that the two helicopters collided.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Coast Guard are conducting a search for the seven missing crew members.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
