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US military helicopter crashes off Okinawa in Japan | US military helicopter crashes off Okinawa in Japan |
(35 minutes later) | |
A US military helicopter has crashed off the coast of the southern island of Okinawa, Japanese officials say. | |
The Kyodo state news agency said 17 crew members were rescued, and seven people were injured. | The Kyodo state news agency said 17 crew members were rescued, and seven people were injured. |
Japan's defence ministry said the crash happened near Camp Schwab, the US Army base on the east coast of the island. | Japan's defence ministry said the crash happened near Camp Schwab, the US Army base on the east coast of the island. |
Kyodo said police confirmed that the helicopter crashed as it tried to land on a ship at sea. The exact cause is not yet known. | |
Reports in Japan said the helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk, which has been deployed by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. | |
Images broadcast by the Japanese national broadcaster NHK showed the helicopter, with its rear rotor severed, on board what appears to be a cargo vessel. | |
It is not clear if the helicopter crashed into the sea or on board the ship. | |
Okinawa is home to several US bases and around 27,000 personnel. The deployment is part of the US-Japan post-war defence alliance. | Okinawa is home to several US bases and around 27,000 personnel. The deployment is part of the US-Japan post-war defence alliance. |
A new US military base is planned for Okinawa, but it has been met with opposition by officials on the island. | A new US military base is planned for Okinawa, but it has been met with opposition by officials on the island. |
Japan said last week that it would put a temporary pause on construction while talks with Okinawa officials continued. | Japan said last week that it would put a temporary pause on construction while talks with Okinawa officials continued. |