Photo/Illutration The submarine rescue ship Chihaya, left, assists in search efforts for a missing Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter off Miyakojima island in Okinawa Prefecture on April 16. (Mika Kuniyoshi)

Divers early April 16 confirmed that wreckage of a Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter missing for the past 10 days lies in waters about 106 meters deep off Okinawa Prefecture along with five crew members.

Saturation divers descended to the spot aboard dedicated equipment after they acclimatized their bodies to deep-sea water pressure on the Maritime SDF submarine rescue ship Chihaya.

Officials said the key sections of the helicopter sustained damage. It was discovered about 6 kilometers north of Irabujima island around 8:30 a.m., according to the Defense Ministry.

It added that the bodies of five GSDF crew members were located around the wreckage.

The ministry is continuing its search for five other people who were on board as it prepares to salvage the wreckage and retrieve bodies.

The UH-60JA helicopter disappeared from radar screens near Miyakojima island at 3:56 p.m. on April 6, about 10 minutes after it took off from the Air SDF Sub Base on the island.

Saturation divers were unable to reach the seabed due to a machinery malfunction on April 14. Search efforts were called off April 15 because high waves whipped up by strong winds made operations on the Chihaya unstable.

The 10 people aboard the helicopter included senior officials of the GSDF’s Eighth Division who had been recently assigned, among them Lt. Gen. Yuichi Sakamoto, head of the division.

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