Two Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters with eight crew members crashed during a nighttime training exercise in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said.
Contact with two “SH-60K” reconnaissance helicopters, with four crew members each, was lost near the island of Torishima in the Pacific, about 600 kilometers south of Tokyo.
One crew member was pulled from the water, but his or her condition is unknown. The search for the other seven persons is still ongoing, AP reported.
The cause of the accident is not yet known, Kihara said, adding that the rescue operation is a priority at the moment.
The Japanese Navy engaged eight warships and five aircraft in the search and rescue operation. Parts believed to be from the helicopter were found.
The helicopters were in night training for anti-submarine operations, Kihara said.
Photo: illustration
