Japan MSDF helicopter wreckage found on seafloor

Tokyo, July 20  The wreckage of a Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) helicopter that disappeared in April has been discovered on the seafloor, with another possible aircraft nearby, local media reported on Saturday.

The discovery followed an accident in April where two JMSDF helicopters collided and crashed during training off the Izu Islands, resulting in the deaths of eight crew members, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry of Defence had tasked the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) with conducting a deep-sea search using unmanned submersibles due to the site’s depth of approximately 5,500 meters, according to national broadcaster NHK.

As of Friday, JAMSTEC’s unmanned probe Deep Tow, equipped with advanced sonar and cameras capable of exploring depths up to 6,000 meters, located one of the downed helicopters.

Identification was confirmed through the matching aircraft number.

Further investigation revealed another object in the vicinity, believed to be the second missing helicopter, the report said.

Further verification is underway to determine the feasibility of retrieving the wreckage.

The Ministry of Defence will carefully assess the underwater conditions to decide on the next steps for the potential salvage operation, according to NHK.