Japan Press Weekly

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2013 December 11 - 17 [US FORCES]

US military helicopter makes forced landing in Kanagawa

A U.S. military helicopter on December 16 made an emergency landing and turned over onto its side on reclaimed land in Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Two of the four crew members on board were hospitalized.

Near the spot of the forced landing of the MH60S helicopter stationed at the U.S. Navy Atsugi Base, is a place where many tourists visit fish processing plants and fisherman’s shops on weekends.

A man who lives about 500 meters away from the accident site said, “I can hardly treat it as somebody else’s problem. The site has a lot of traffic at the year’s end as Misaki Port is just over there. The slightest mistake in landing could have caused a major disaster. Just the thought of it make me feel strong fear.”

Upon receiving news of the accident, Japanese Communist Party members of the Miura City Assembly along with an official in charge of U.S. base issues in the JCP Kanagawa Prefectural Committee rushed to the scene of the accident and gathered information by questioning witnesses.