The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has published the results of the investigation into the helicopter crash that occurred last April, resulting in the death of eight individuals. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara stated at a press conference, "We take the investigation results from the incident that led to the death of eight people very seriously, and I am determined to make every effort to ensure that no further accidents and casualties occur."
During the exercises, the helicopters were training to identify submarines. According to the Self-Defense Forces, the two helicopters were flying from different positions under different commands. They were then given a target in the form of a "submarine" that appeared, prompting them to accelerate towards the same point at the specified coordinates. Ultimately, it was found that one helicopter flew straight toward the target, while the other approached it and collided with the first helicopter on its left side. The collision resulted in the deaths of all eight crew members from both helicopters. The cause was attributed to the crews not monitoring sufficiently from the cockpit, as well as a lack of interaction between the supervising commands.
