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2023 Miyakojima helicopter crash

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Onel5969 (talk | contribs) at 13:14, 8 April 2023 (clean up, typo(s) fixed: reconnaisance → reconnaissance). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2023 Miyakojima helicopter crash
A UH-60JA similar to the aircraft involved in the accident
Accident
DateApril 6, 2023 (2023-04-06)
SummaryHelicopter crash, under investigation
SiteOff the coast of Miyako-jima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Aircraft
Aircraft typeMitsubishi UH-60JA
OperatorJapan Ground Self Defense Force
Flight originJASDF Miyakojima Sub Base
DestinationJASDF Miyakojima Sub Base
Crew10
Missing10

On April 6, 2023, a JGSDF Mitsubishi UH-60JA helicopter carrying 10 people, including the commander of the 8th Division, LTG Yuichi Sakamoto, went missing off the coast of Miyako-jima in Okinawa, Japan.[1][2][3]

The helicopter, which belonged to the 8th Aviation Squadron of the 8th Division, departed the Miyakojima Sub Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at 3:46PM JST to conduct terrain reconnaissance of the island, with LTG Sakamoto and COL Masaichi Iyoda, commander of JGSDF Camp Miyakojima, among the 10 personnels on board.[4] At about 10 minutes in to the flight, the helicopter vanished from radar, just two minutes after making contact with air traffic control at Shimojishima Airport.[5] It was also around this point that an American tourist, a former sailor of the US Navy, took a photo of the helicopter flying at about 450 metres (1,480 feet) in altitude along the eastern coast of Ikema Island.[6]

Extensive searches so far by both the SDF and the Coast Guard have revealed debris of the missing aircraft, such as the door and other parts of the helicopter, as well as an unused lifeboat belonging to the helicopter.[2][5] However, none of the 10 on board as well as the flight recorder have been found so far.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Lifeboat from missing Japan SDF helicopter found". Nikkei Asia. 2023-04-07. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  2. ^ a b Emiko, Jozuka; Lendon, Brad (2023-04-07). "Japanese military helicopter crashes in sea with 10 on board". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  3. ^ Yamaguchi, Mari (2023-04-06). "Debris found in search for GSDF copter presumed to have crashed into sea". Japan Today. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  4. ^ "陸自ヘリ不明「航空事故」 師団長ら１０人搭乗、偵察訓練中 宮古島周辺". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 2023-04-06. Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  5. ^ a b c "１０人乗せ消息絶った陸自ヘリ、坂本雄一師団長ら幹部自衛官が８人…２分前に管制と交信". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 2023-04-07. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  6. ^ "消失２分前、陸自ヘリ撮影 観光客男性「正常に見えた」―沖縄・宮古：時事ドットコム". jiji.com (in Japanese). Jiji Tsushin. 2023-04-08. Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2023-04-08.


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