Three lives were lost after a medical helicopter plunged into the sea off southwestern Japan, the country’s coast guard confirmed on Monday.
The helicopter, which had six individuals on board, was en route to a hospital in Fukuoka city from Tsushima Island in the Nagasaki prefecture when it lost contact on Sunday afternoon.
Ryuji Tominaga, head of the receiving hospital, described the incident as “utterly heartbreaking” during a press briefing.
Following hours of search efforts, a patrol vessel located the wreckage along with all six occupants.
The deceased included an 86-year-old patient, her 68-year-old relative, and a 34-year-old doctor. They were found unresponsive and later pronounced dead, the coast guard reported.
The remaining three, who were discovered clinging to the aircraft, survived and were conscious at the time of rescue.
A representative of the helicopter’s operating company stated on Monday that both the pilot and mechanic were seasoned professionals and that there were no significant weather concerns at the time of the flight.
He also mentioned that the national Maritime Safety Committee has launched an investigation into the crash.
The Asahi Shimbun newspaper noted that the same company was involved in a previous accident last July, when one of its helicopters crashed into farmland in Fukuoka, resulting in two fatalities.
