Latest news with #UH-1
Kyodo News
14-05-2025
- General
- Kyodo News
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.
Asahi Shimbun
14-05-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
U.S. military chopper drops flammable object in Okinawa
A UH-1 helicopter deployed by the U.S. military in Okinawa Prefecture (Taro Ono) NAHA--A U.S. military helicopter flying over northern Okinawa Prefecture accidentally dropped a bag containing a flammable item during a training exercise, creating a fire danger, according to the Defense Ministry. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on May 13 when a UH-1 helicopter based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan inadvertently released the bag in mid-flight. There have been no reports of injuries or damage to residents or property. The item was described as an 'accessory gear bag' weighing approximately 18 kilograms and measuring about 90 centimeters in length and 30 cm in height. It is believed to have fallen near the border between the municipalities of Nago and Nakijin. The bag reportedly contained a signal flare canister and accessories for a life raft. Authorities have urged the public to avoid approaching the object if found and to report it immediately due to the potential fire hazard. The U.S. military in Okinawa told The Asahi Shimbun that no civilians were present in the area at the time of the incident. The accident adds to longstanding concerns in Okinawa over the safety risks associated with hosting 70 percent of all exclusively U.S. military facilities in Japan on the island. In 2017, a window from a U.S. military helicopter from the Futenma base accidentally fell onto a local school playground in mid-flight, narrowly missing dozens of students. (This article was written by Kazufumi Kaneko and Satsuki Tanahashi.)
The Mainichi
14-05-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
Bag with inflammable tube falls from US forces chopper in Okinawa
NAHA (Kyodo) -- 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, a local Defense Ministry bureau said. An official of the U.S. Marine Corps, which is searching for the 18-kilogram bag, told Kyodo News on Wednesday 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 U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma 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. The 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.
Japan Today
14-05-2025
- General
- Japan Today
Bag with inflammable tube falls from U.S. military helicopter in Okinawa
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, a local Defense Ministry bureau said. An official of the U.S. Marine Corps, which is searching for the 18-kilogram bag, told Kyodo News on Wednesday 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 U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma 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. The 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. © KYODO
Kyodo News
14-05-2025
- General
- Kyodo News
Bag with inflammable tube falls from U.S. forces chopper in Okinawa
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 14:26 | 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, a local Defense Ministry bureau said. An official of the U.S. Marine Corps, which is searching for the 18-kilogram bag, told Kyodo News on Wednesday 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 U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma 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. The 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.
