Japanese Self-Defense Force helicopter goes missing with 3 pilots on board.

Authorities are urgently deploying forces to search for the missing helicopter and investigate the cause of the incident.

A helicopter of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (photo: planespotter)

Japanese media reported yesterday that a training helicopter belonging to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (SDF) has gone missing with its three-person crew.

According to Jiji News Agency, the helicopter took off from an air base in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 9:19 a.m. (local time) and then lost contact with ground control at 11:05 a.m. A spokesperson for the SDF ruled out running out of fuel, as there was enough fuel for the aircraft for more than an hour.

Authorities are urgently deploying forces to search for the missing helicopter and investigate the cause of the incident.

The fate of three pilots from the SDF combat training group, including a captain in his 30s named Yamamoto, remains unknown.

According to VOV