Three people lost their lives after a medical transport helicopter plunged into the sea off the southwestern coast of Japan, according to the country’s coast guard.
The helicopter, carrying six individuals, was en route from Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture to a hospital in Fukuoka City when it disappeared from radar on Sunday afternoon.
Ryuji Tominaga, head of the receiving hospital, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, describing the incident as “utterly heartbreaking.”
Several hours after the aircraft lost contact, a coast guard patrol vessel located the downed helicopter and all six people onboard.
Among the deceased were an 86-year-old patient, a 68-year-old relative, and a 34-year-old physician. The coast guard confirmed they were unresponsive upon rescue and were later pronounced dead.
The remaining three survivors — including the pilot, a mechanic, and another medical staff member — were found conscious, clinging to the helicopter’s wreckage with the help of inflatable life preservers.
A representative from the helicopter operating company stated that both the pilot and the mechanic had extensive flight experience. He added that weather conditions at the time of the incident appeared to be suitable for flying.
The national Maritime Safety Committee has launched a formal investigation into the crash to determine the cause.
Notably, the same helicopter operator was involved in another fatal crash last year in July, when a helicopter went down in a Fukuoka farm field, resulting in the deaths of both people onboard, as reported by the Asahi Shimbun.
