Society

Two Dead in Helicopter Crash Following Sightseeing Flight

FUKUOKA, Jul 29 (News On Japan) - A helicopter crash in Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, claimed the lives of two people, believed to be the pilot and a mechanic.

A cameraman at the scene reported, "The propeller is bent, and the fuselage is completely burned out."

At around 4 p.m. yesterday, a report came in from Shonan-cho, Yanagawa City, stating, "A helicopter has crashed and smoke is rising." The helicopter caught fire after crashing, but the flames were extinguished by firefighters. Two bodies were found near the wreckage.

A nearby resident commented, "I heard a noise like a motorcycle, and a few minutes later, I heard the sound of fire trucks. When I looked outside, there was smoke."

According to officials from Saga Prefecture, the helicopter belonged to SGC Saga Aviation, based at Saga Airport. The helicopter was carrying a 50-year-old pilot and a 70-year-old mechanic and was returning from a sightseeing flight in Hita City, Oita Prefecture.

The crash site is about six kilometers from Saga Airport in a farmland area. The Japan Transport Safety Board has dispatched two investigators to determine the cause of the accident.

Source: TBS

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