Japanese navy helicopter with 10 crew members goes missing: Report | World News

Japan’s coast guard on Thursday acknowledged that search was underway for a navy helicopter that went missing off a southern Japanese island. The helicopter carried 10 crew members along with it.

The coast guard acknowledged it acquired knowledge that a Ground Self-Safety Energy UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter disappeared from radar on a mission on Thursday night time near Miyako island.

The coast guard extra acknowledged that though 4 patrol ships are collaborating throughout the search operation, they haven’t been able to trace the helicopter however.

The incident comes as Japan is beefing up its safety throughout the island space in response to China’s increasingly more assertive military train.

In line with Kyodo News, Japanese coast guard ships found traces of oil and particles which are suspected to be from that of the missing helicopter. However officers haven’t however confirmed the report.

The Ground Self-Safety Energy, or Japanese navy, acknowledged the helicopter belongs to a base in Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s southern basic island of Kyushu and was visiting Miyako island on a surveillance mission.

NHK public television has reported that the helicopter disappeared from radar about an hour after it departed from Miyako island when it was actually anticipated to return.

Commenting on the disappearance of the helicopter, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida acknowledged, “We’ll do our utmost to keep away from losing their lives.”

(With inputs from AP)