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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 off the coast of Japan, injuring several people. A US military helicopter has crashed on a boat off the coast of Japan, injuring several people.
Three people were rescued after the aircraft went down near the southern island of Okinawa, officials told the Associated Press. 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.
The US Army UH-60 Black Hawk crashed during a flight carrying five people, Japanese Defence Ministry spokesperson Kentaro Kato said. A spokesperson for US Forces Japan said the incident happened at 1.45pm local time (5.45am BST) today during a training mission.
He did not know the condition of the three crew members rescued and said the search for the others was continuing with patrol boats and aircraft. Screenshots showing some details from #Blackhawk crashed on USNS Red Cloud near #Okinawa pic.twitter.com/RdMM5Ji3p0
But a conflicting report by the Kyodo state news agency said 17 people had been on board and all survived, with seven injured. US forces have had a large presence in Japan since the end of the Second World War The official described it as a "hard deck landing" on the USNS Red Cloud, a military cargo ship.
Defence Ministry officials said the crash happened near Camp Schwab, a US Marine base on north-eastern Okinawa, as the helicopter tried to land on a ship. Its cause was unknown. "The helicopter is currently on the deck of the USNS Red Cloud," a statement said.
Photographs being circulated online claiming to show the wreckage on a ship's deck could not be confirmed. "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 APAdditional reporting by AP