Japan says a collision during a nighttime drill caused the deadly April crash of 2 navy helicopters

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese investigators have determined that a collision during a nighttime drill caused the deadly crash last month of two Japanese navy SH-60K Seahawk helicopters. The country’s defense minister said on Thursday that this is according to preliminary flight data analysis but that what exactly led to the collision is still being investigated. He ruled out mechanical failure of the SH-60K Seahawks from the Maritime Self Defense Force and announced that the exercises, which were halted following the crash, would resume on Friday. One of the total of eight crew members on the two helicopters was found dead and the search for the seven missing — as well as the aircrafts’ fuselages — has continued since then.