The bodies of two Taiwanese tourists and a Japanese pilot have been located inside a volcanic crater, Japanese authorities said yesterday, nearly a month after a sightseeing helicopter crashed during a flight over southwestern Japan.
Drone footage taken at the site showed three bodies near the wreckage of the aircraft inside a crater on Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, police and fire officials said.
The helicopter went missing on Jan. 20 and was later found on a steep slope inside the Nakadake No. 1 Crater, about 50m below the rim.
Photo: Reuters
Authorities said that conditions at the site made survival highly unlikely, and ruled out crewed recovery operations due to the extreme danger posed by volcanic gases, high temperatures and unstable terrain.
After being briefed, the families of the Taiwanese passengers agreed to suspend further high-risk rescue efforts and requested that the safety of rescue personnel be treated as the top priority, officials said.
Temperatures along the crater walls can reach about 80°C, and the high concentrations of toxic volcanic gases and loose ground significantly increase the risk of secondary accidents, emergency officials said.
Authorities said they would assess whether the wreckage and remains could be recovered using mechanical equipment rather than through crewed operations.
The helicopter had taken off at about 10:50am from a tourist facility in Aso for a planned 10-minute flight, but contact was lost shortly after 11am, Japanese authorities said.
The wreckage was spotted later that afternoon during an aerial search.
Taiwan’s representative office in Japan has been notified and remains in contact with local authorities.
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