Navy helicopters crash over the Pacific, leaving seven crew missing far out at sea

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crew members crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during a nighttime training flight after possibly colliding with each other, the country’s defence minister said yesterday.

One crew member who had been recovered from the waters was later pronounced dead, while rescuers searched for seven others who were still missing.

The two SH-60K helicopters from the Maritime Self-Defence Force were carrying four crew each and lost contact late on Saturday near Torishima island about 600km south of Tokyo, Defence Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but officials believed the two helicopters “highly likely” collided with each other before crashing into the water, Kihara said.

Rescuers have recovered a flight data recorder, a blade from each helicopter, and fragments believed to be from both aircraft in the same area, signs that the two SH-60Ks were flying close to each other, Kihara said.

Search and rescue efforts for the missing crew were expanded yesterday, with the navy and air force together deploying 12 warships and seven aircraft. Coastguard patrol boats and aircraft also joined the operation.

US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said that the United States had offered to help with the search and rescue.

“We will stand together, side by side, with our friend and ally, Japan,” he said.

The helicopters, twin-engined aircraft developed by Sikorsky and known as Seahawks, were modified and produced in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. They were on nighttime anti-submarine training in the waters, Kihara said. One lost contact at 10.38pm local time and sent an automatic emergency signal a minute later. They lost contact about 270km east of Torishima island.

Only one distress signal, called an emergency locator transmitter, was heard – another sign the two helicopters were near the same place, because their signals used the same frequency and could not be differentiated, Kihara said.

Japan’s NHK television said no weather warnings were issued in the area at the time of the crash.