Seven missing after Japanese military helicopters crash

Seven people were missing 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 to AFP and said that one person was rescued.

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.

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 10:38 pm (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 11:04 pm, 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.

Japan is boosting defence spending and deepening cooperation with the United States and other countries in Asia in response to growing Chinese assertiveness in the region and an unpredictable North Korea.

___

Source: TRT