Japanese army chopper carrying 10 crew members vanishes from radar near Okinawa

Apr 07 (WION) - A missing Japanese army helicopter carrying 10 crew members is likely to have crashed into the water off a southern island after debris resembling aircraft pieces were seen in the area, reported Los Angeles Times.

The UH-60JA Black Hawk helicopter vanished from radar on Thursday afternoon while on a reconnaissance mission north of Miyako island, according to Yasunori Morishita, the director of Japan's army's Ground Self Defence Force.

Morishita said during a press conference that debris believed to be aircraft pieces was discovered in the area, about 1,120 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, and added that rescue efforts continued for the pilots, mechanics and other members.

In response to China's increasingly assertive military operations in the region, particularly Taiwan, the Japanese government is aggressively boosting its defence capability in southwestern Japan.

According to Kyodo News, Japanese coast guard ships discovered evidence of oil and debris that could be linked to the missing helicopter, but officials have yet to corroborate the report. ...continue reading

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