A crashed helicopter that left eight dead, found on seabed in Japan

Breaking news: The main section of one of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol helicopters that crashed near a remote Tokyo island has been located on the seabed. 

A major discovery has been made in the aftermath of the fatal mid-air collision between two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter crash Japan off a small Tokyo island. An unmanned deep-sea probe discovered the main section of one helicopter on the seabed, along with debris believed to be from the other.

Local media reported on Saturday that the wreckage of an anti-submarine helicopter belonging to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, which went missing in April, was found on the seafloor. Also located is another possible aircraft near the site.

The finding was about an accident in April where two JMSDF helicopters collided during training and crashed off the Izu Islands; all eight crew members on board were killed.

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology has located debris matching the crashed helicopters, with efforts now focused on confirming further details

Further verification is underway as to whether the recovery of the wreckages is feasible.

According to NHK, the Ministry of Defense will assess the underwater situation carefully to determine what the next steps should be for a potential salvage operation.

The Ministry of Defense had ordered a deep-sea search by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology using unmanned submersibles, as it lay at some 5,500 meters below the surface, said NHK, the national broadcaster. JAMSTEC said its unmanned probe Deep Tow, with its advanced sonar and cameras that can explore to depths of up to 6,000 meters, found one of the downed helicopters.
Identification was confirmed through the matching aircraft number.

Further investigation revealed another object in the vicinity that is believed to be the second missing helicopter, the report said.