Stay updated with breaking news from Iwate. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
The cause was not immediately known, but the two helicopters might have collided with each other before crashing into the water, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said.
The two SH-60K choppers were carrying four crew each and lost contact late Saturday near Torishima island about 370 miles south of Tokyo.
Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crew members crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during nighttime training in a possible collision, leaving one dead while rescuers on Sunday searched for seven others missing, the defence minister said.
Cross-linked news, and information resources about Poets
Defence Minister Minoru Kihara said a thorough search is under way for those missing in the Pacific.