Bag with inflammable tube falls from U.S. forces chopper in Okinawa
KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 18:52 | All, Japan
A bag containing an inflammable signal flame tube fell from a U.S. military helicopter over the Motobu peninsula in northern Okinawa Prefecture in Japan on Tuesday, the local Defense Ministry bureau said.
In Tokyo, Japan's top government spokesman said Wednesday that no damage has been reported following the incident.
An official of the U.S. Marine Corps, which is searching for the 18-kilogram bag, told Kyodo News that the UH-1 helicopter dropped it inadvertently during a routine drill and that there were no civilians confirmed in the area where it landed.
The crew of the aircraft belonging to the Marines' Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa, reported the incident at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Marine Corps.
The Marines are conducting a thorough examination of the incident while prioritizing the safety of local residents, the official said.
"We urged the U.S. side to take thorough steps to ensure a similar problem will not occur again," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki expressed regret that the incident caused "great concern" to locals, describing it as one that "could have turned into a catastrophe affecting residents."
The Japanese ministry's Okinawa Defense Bureau is calling on residents to contact it if the bag is found.
The southern island prefecture is home to the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan.
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