Japanese army helicopter with 10 crew members goes missing: Report

Japan's coast guard on Thursday said that search was underway for an army helicopter that went missing off a southern Japanese island. The helicopter carried 10 crew members along with it.

The coast guard said it received information that a Ground Self-Defense Force UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter disappeared from radar on a mission on Thursday evening near Miyako island.

The coast guard further said that though four patrol ships are participating in the search operation, they have not been able to trace the helicopter yet.

The incident comes as Japan is beefing up its defense in the island region in response to China's increasingly assertive military activity.

According to Kyodo News, Japanese coast guard ships found traces of oil and debris which are suspected to be from that of the missing helicopter. However officials have not yet confirmed the report.

The Ground Self-Defense Force, or Japanese army, said the helicopter belongs to a base in Kumamoto prefecture on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu and was visiting Miyako island on a surveillance mission.

NHK public television has reported that the helicopter disappeared from radar about an hour after it departed from Miyako island when it was actually expected to return.

Commenting on the disappearance of the helicopter, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, “We will do our utmost to save their lives.”

(With inputs from AP)