Major part of missing Japanese helicopter found

Tokyo, April 14

The major part of the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) helicopter that went missing off the southern prefecture of Okinawa , local media reported.

The UH-60 multipurpose chopper disappeared from radar on April 6 about 18 km northwest of an airport in Okinawa prefecture's Miyakojima Island, and was believed to have been caught up in an aircraft accident, Xinhua News Agency reported.

What appears to be the body of a missing member aboard the helicopter was also spotted near the debris, with efforts to confirm the details still underway, according to the reports, citing defence ministry sources.

All 10 GSDF members on board remain unaccounted for, including Lieutenant General Yuichi Sakamoto, commander of the GSDF's 8th Division in charge of the defense of southwestern Japan.

Multiple government sources confirmed that the major part of the helicopter was found late Thursday evening northeast of Irabu Island, a nearby island of Miyako, Yomiuri Shimbun reported Friday.

The aircraft was detected underwater by the sonar of a Japanese minesweeper in search efforts and was later confirmed in the images taken by underwater cameras, according to the Japanese newspaper and other local media.