Two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters crashed during a maneuver in the Pacific Ocean Saturday night, killing at least one of the eight crew members, while the other seven are still missing.
Japan’s Minister of Defense is Minoru Kihara announced in a statement on Sunday that the two aircraft that crashed in waters, about 270 km east of Torishima Island in the Izu Islands chain, are believed to have collided with each other during a night anti-submarine drill in the region.
The cause of the accident is still unknown, but the Ministry will make every effort to search for and rescue the missing people, Kihara added.
Last year, a military helicopter, with a crew of 10 people on board, was lost off an island in southern Japan.
Source: Qatar News Agency