Two SH-60K helicopters from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force disappeared on the night of April 20 during a nighttime training exercise.
+ Video: HIMARS Hits Radar and Command Post of S-300/400 Air Defense System
The incident occurred approximately 280 kilometers east of Torishima, in the Izu Islands. The Defense Ministry suspects that an in-flight collision might have been the cause, after flight recorders were located in the area.
Eight crew members were aboard the two aircraft. An intense rescue operation was initiated, resulting in the rescue of one crew member and the sad confirmation of one fatality. The search for the seven missing continues, with the participation of 12 vessels and seven aircraft, including helicopters and planes, supported by the Japan Coast Guard.
Contact was lost with the first helicopter, based in Omura, Nagasaki, at 22:38, and an emergency signal was issued a minute later. At 23:04, contact with the second helicopter, from the Air Base in Komatsushima, Tokushima, was also lost. Fragments of the helicopters, including rotor blades, were found and retrieved near the incident site.
The mission involved antisubmarine warfare exercises, utilizing sonar to detect submarines. Authorities confirmed that, besides the aircraft and vessels involved in the training, there were no other entities in the vicinity of the incident.
Photo: Wikipedia. Source: Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.