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| Date: | Sunday 6 April 2025 |
| Time: | c 13:47 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC135 T2+ |
| Owner/operator: | SGC Saga Aviation opf Fukuoka Wajiro Hospital |
| Registration: | JA555H |
| MSN: | 1092 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 47 km north off Iki island, Nagasaki prefecture -
 Japan
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Tsushima Airport (TSJ/RJDT) |
| Fukuoka Wajiro Hospital | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
An air ambulance helicopter went missing east of Tsushima island. The helicopter was found floating inverted on the sea surface 47 km north off Iki island with inflated floats. Three of six occupants, a pilot, a mechanic and a nurse were found clinging to the floats and were rescued three hours later. They sustained serious injuries such as multiple broken bones. The other three occupants, a patient, her son and a doctor were found trapped in the cabin, but they were confirmed dead on arrival at the Fukuoka Wajiro Hospital. The pilot reported that the altitude of the helicopter begun drop after loud abnormal noise from the rear, and he should concentrate on the directional control. He inflated the emergency floats manually before ditching. No distress signals were received.
The Eurocopter was brought ashore on the 10th April. It is possible that the helicopter ditched in an unstable attitude, tilted to the right and nose up, which caused a heavy load to be applied on impact with water. All of the helicopter's rotors were broken off and the front window was damaged. The rear of the fuselage was also crushed, and the right side of the landing skids was severely damaged. No abnormalities were found in the exterior of the engines.
Sources:
https://nordot.app/1281544555683480151
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250406/k10014771751000.html
https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST4631D0T46PEFT00DM.html?iref=comtop_7_03
https://nordot.app/1281546381928825189
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/1837168?display=1
https://apnews.com/article/japan-ambulance-helicopter-crash-rescue-missing-6cd908d6fb7d77dfdd22789c6aa3d4ba
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250406/k00/00m/040/114000c
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250406/k00/00m/040/132000c
https://nordot.app/1281581299722224566
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20250406-OYT1T50097/
https://nordot.app/1281640940604457358
https://nordot.app/1281677809696391331
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/07/japan/japan-ambulance-helicopter-crashes/
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250408/k00/00m/040/256000c
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250410/k00/00m/040/321000c
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20250410-OYT1T50178/
https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2025041200336&g=soc
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20250413-OYT1T50052/
https://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/jtsb/aircraft/detail2.php?id=2418
https://www.sgc-air.co.jp/iryou/
Location
Media:
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04...
— Aerossurance (@aerossurance.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 8:25 AM
[image or embed]
english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/04...
— Aerossurance (@aerossurance.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 8:27 AM
[image or embed]
3 Dead After Ambulance Helicopter Crash in Southwestern Japan
— Japan Explorations⛩️?? (@super_tourism) April 7, 2025
A medical helicopter carrying six people, including a patient, crashed into the sea in southwestern #Japan on Sunday. Three individuals were confirmed dead, according to the Japan Coast Guard.https://t.co/YiwiRgdsjt pic.twitter.com/R7fqLcb6AL
Three dead in Japan after medical helicopter crash;
— Gulf Today (@gulftoday) April 7, 2025
The coast guard said the death of an 86-year-old female patient, one of six people on board, was confirmed on the day of the incident.
A 68-year-old male family member accompanying her and a 34-year-old male doctor were also… pic.twitter.com/go1ehEXhzD
A medical transport helicopter fell into the sea in southwestern Japan, killing the patient and two other people, the Japan coast guard said. https://t.co/AElzAPzjaz
— HELICOPTERS Magazine (@helicopters_mag) April 7, 2025
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Apr-2025 11:00 | isamuel | Added |
| 06-Apr-2025 11:54 | isamuel | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 12:19 | isamuel | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 12:59 | isamuel | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 15:49 | Aviator | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 16:15 | isamuel | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 17:22 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, ] |
| 06-Apr-2025 18:52 | isamuel | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 07-Apr-2025 07:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 07-Apr-2025 12:32 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Apr-2025 06:56 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 08-Apr-2025 14:54 | isamuel | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 10-Apr-2025 14:46 | isamuel | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 13-Apr-2025 05:41 | isamuel | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
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