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US military helicopter crashes off coast of Japan | US military helicopter crashes off coast of Japan |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A US military helicopter has crashed on a boat off the coast of Japan, injuring several people. | |
Six military personnel were hurt when a UH-60 Black Hawk owned by the US Army hit the deck of a ship sailing 20 miles east of Okinawa. | |
A spokesperson for US Forces Japan said the incident happened at 1.45pm local time (5.45am BST) today during a training mission. | |
Screenshots showing some details from #Blackhawk crashed on USNS Red Cloud near #Okinawa pic.twitter.com/RdMM5Ji3p0 | |
The official described it as a "hard deck landing" on the USNS Red Cloud, a military cargo ship. | |
"The helicopter is currently on the deck of the USNS Red Cloud," a statement said. | |
"The injured were transported to the US Naval Hospital at Camp Foster. | |
"The helicopter was conducting a local training mission. The cause of the incident is under investigation." | |
Images broadcast by NHK showed what appeared to be the wreckage on a ship's deck, with the helicopter's tail rotor completely broken off. US forces have had a large presence in Japan since the end of the Second World War | |
Officials from the Japanese defence ministry said the crash happened near Camp Schwab, a US Marine base on north-eastern Okinawa. | |
Camp Schwab is the proposed new home for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, where more than half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan are currently housed. | Camp Schwab is the proposed new home for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, where more than half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan are currently housed. |
Many Okinawans are opposed to the plan and residents have joined protests demanding all American bases be removed from the island. | Many Okinawans are opposed to the plan and residents have joined protests demanding all American bases be removed from the island. |
Additional reporting by AP | Additional reporting by AP |