Six missing in the clash between two US military aircraft in Japan
Six members of the US Navy are missing after the clash of two military aircraft off the coast of western Japan, reported today the United States Armed Forces deployed in the Asian country.
One of the seven crew members involved in the accident has been rescued and "is being evaluated by the competent authorities" at the Japanese air base in Iwakuni, while "search and rescue operations continue for the remaining six Marines," the force reported. United States Navy on social networks.
The crash occurred at around 2:00 am local time (17.00 GMT on Wednesday) about 320 kilometers from the west coast of Japan between a FA-18 Hornet fighter and a KC-130 Hercules tanker that left the Iwakuni airfield and they found "performing regularly scheduled training," they said in a statement.
"The circumstances of the accident are currently under investigation" and at the moment "there is no additional information," the US military added.
The Japanese Minister of Defense, Takeshi Iwaya, told local media that the rescued soldier is one of the two crew members who were traveling aboard the fighter and that his state of health "is stable."
Japan has sent several aircraft and three ships to support the search and rescue efforts, said Iwaya.
The Japanese Minister of Defense described the event as "regrettable", but stressed that now "the most important thing is to rescue all the people who are still missing".
Today's accident comes two weeks after another FA-18 fighter crashed into the sea southeast of Naha, the capital of Okinawa (southwest), after taking off from the USS Ronald Reagan nuclear powered aircraft carrier, without casualties. .
