A devastating medical helicopter crash occurred off the coast of southwestern Japan on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of three people.
According to the Japan Coast Guard, the helicopter was carrying six passengers, including a patient, family members, and medical staff, when it crashed into the sea while en route to a hospital in Fukuoka city from Tsushima Island in the Nagasaki region.
The bodies of the three victims, identified as an 86-year-old patient, her 68-year-old family member, and a 34-year-old doctor, were recovered by a Japan Air Self-Defense Force helicopter after a rescue operation involving two planes and three ships from the coast guard.
Three other passengers, including the pilot, a nurse, and a mechanic, were rescued and are receiving treatment for hypothermia.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but the national Maritime Safety Committee will lead the investigation. This incident follows a similar helicopter crash in July last year, operated by the same company, which killed two people in the Fukuoka region.
The hospital where the patients were being transported to has expressed shock and sadness over the incident. “This accident is utterly heartbreaking, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of life,” said Ryuji Tominaga, the hospital’s head.
