Tokyo, Apr 07 (V7N) – A medical helicopter crashed into the sea in southwestern Japan, killing three people, including a patient, a family member, and a doctor, while en route to a hospital in Fukuoka City from Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture.

According to AFP, the tragic incident occurred on Sunday afternoon (April 6, local time). The helicopter, carrying six people, lost contact mid-flight and was located hours later by a coast guard patrol vessel. All six individuals were rescued from the sea.

The Japan Coast Guard confirmed that an 86-year-old patient, his 68-year-old family member, and a 34-year-old doctor were found unconscious and later pronounced dead. The remaining three onboard – including the pilot and mechanic – were found conscious and survived the crash.

Officials from the helicopter operating company said both the pilot and the mechanic were highly experienced, and that weather conditions were not believed to have contributed to the crash. The National Maritime Safety Committee has launched an investigation into the incident.

In a statement, hospital chief Ryuji Tominaga described the tragedy as “extremely heartbreaking.”

The Asahi Shimbun reported that the same company suffered another fatal crash in July last year, when a helicopter went down in farmland in the Fukuoka region, killing two people.

Authorities are continuing to examine the cause of the crash, and safety measures surrounding medical flights are expected to come under renewed scrutiny following the incident.

END/MSS/AJ