SAR helicopter crash in Japan leaves nine dead
A Bell 412EP search and rescue helicopter in Japan crashed on 11 August, killing all nine people onboard.
A Bell 412EP search and rescue helicopter in Japan crashed on 11 August, killing all nine people onboard.
The helicopter was on a two-hour mission to monitor the opening of a mountain trail in the Gunma prefecture. Around an hour into the mission, the base lost contact with the helicopter. All seven rescue workers and the two pilots were killed in the crash.
Although it is not yet clear what caused the crash, local news reports in Japan have said that witnesses saw the helicopter flying extremely low in foggy weather prior to the crash. GPS data from the aircraft also shows it performing a turn a minute before transmission was lost.
Officials from the Gunma Prefectural Fire Safety Division said that the helicopter was 20 years old and had undergone engine repairs in April.