Picture Credits: The 7th Regional Japan Coast Guard Headquarters
Tokyo, JAPAN: On 6th April a tragic medical helicopter crash off the coast of southwestern Japan left three people dead, including an elderly patient, her caretaker, and a doctor, the Japan Coast Guard confirmed on Monday.
The accident occurred on Sunday afternoon as the helicopter, en route from Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture to a hospital in Fukuoka, lost communication at approximately 1:43 p.m. It was scheduled to arrive at its destination by 2:15 p.m. A Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel located the aircraft floating upside down in the sea around 5:05 p.m. near Nagasaki.
Victims and Survivors Identified
On board were six individuals: an 86 year-old patient, Mitsuki Motoishi; her 68 year-old caretaker, Kazuyoshi Motoishi; 34 year-old doctor Kei Arakawa; 28 year old nurse Sakura Kunitake; 66-year-old pilot Hiroshi Hamada; and helicopter mechanic Kazuto Yoshitake.
The coast guard confirmed that the patient, her caretaker, and the doctor were found unresponsive and later declared dead. Their bodies were recovered by a Japan Air Self-Defense Force helicopter. The remaining three- the pilot, nurse, and mechanic were found conscious, clinging to inflatable lifesavers, and were rescued suffering from hypothermia.
Picture Credits: WAM
Cause of Crash Under Investigation
The helicopter was operated by a private aviation company under contract. Company officials stated the 66 year-old pilot had over 3,600 flight hours of experience, and the weather was not believed to be a factor. No mechanical issues were detected during the helicopter’s last inspection on Friday.
Authorities are now focused on investigating the exact cause of the crash. Preventive measures were taken to keep the wreckage afloat as part of the ongoing probe. The National Maritime Safety Committee has also launched a formal investigation.
Operator’s Safety Record Under Scrutiny
The accident has drawn attention to the safety history of the aviation company involved. According to the Asahi Shimbun, the same firm was linked to a fatal crash in July last year, when a helicopter went down in Fukuoka Prefecture, killing two people. That incident had temporarily grounded the fleet for safety checks.
Calling the latest tragedy “Utterly heartbreaking,” Ryuji Tominaga, head of the Fukuoka hospital scheduled to receive the patient, expressed condolences and urged full transparency in the investigation.
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