Japan GSDF Black Hawk Helicopter crashes
Sawako Uchida and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
The Japanese Coast Guard is searching for a crashed military helicopter that suddenly disappeared from radar. Ten people were on board the UH-60 Black Hawk multipurpose helicopter.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force left the base on Miyakojima in Okinawa (Ryukyu) on a reported surveillance mission. This is approximately 400 kilometers from Taiwan.
However, within 10 minutes the helicopter faced immediate problems. Hence, the Black Hawk suddenly disappeared from the radar screen – and the worst was immediately feared.
Several pieces of debris were found in the water north of Irabujima during the search and rescue mission by the Japanese Coast Guard.
Reuters reports, “Chinese navy vessels traveling to the Pacific Ocean from the East China Sea often pass close to Miyakojima, which has hosted GSDF mobile anti-ship missile launchers since 2019. In the past four days, amid growing tension over a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, at least three Chinese warships have sailed past the island.”
It is known that Yuichi Sakamoto – a senior GSDF commander – is among the ten people missing.
An investigation will be held immediately after the rescue and search operation ends.
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