Tourist Helicopter Wreckage Discovered in Japan's Active Volcano Crater
A sightseeing helicopter carrying three passengers has been confirmed missing over one of Japan's most active volcanoes, with wreckage now discovered inside a crater. The aircraft, a US-made Robinson R44, vanished during a routine ten-minute tour from Aso Cuddly Dominion zoo in Aso City on Tuesday morning.
Discovery of Aircraft Remains
Fire authorities located what appears to be the heavily damaged fuselage of the helicopter inside the Nakadake crater, one of Mount Aso's five peaks, at approximately 4pm local time. The Aso Police Station reported that the aircraft was completely destroyed, including the passenger compartment, with its serial number matching that of the missing chopper.
According to police and fire department assessments, the wreckage is scattered on the slope between 190 and 230 feet below the crater's edge. The helicopter had been conducting its third sightseeing trip of the day when it disappeared, with no reported issues during the two previous flights according to operator Takumi Enterprise.
Passenger Details and Search Challenges
The helicopter was piloted by a 64-year-old veteran with four decades of flying experience. His passengers are believed to be Taiwanese nationals - a man in his forties and a woman in her thirties. Search efforts for the passengers have been suspended due to hazardous conditions, including high concentrations of volcanic gases and limited visibility from cloudy weather.
Authorities plan to resume the search operation on Thursday morning when conditions may improve. The helicopter's GPS signal was last detected near the mountain's crater before disconnecting, providing crucial location data for rescue teams.
Safety Review and Historical Context
Following the incident, Takumi Enterprise has grounded all its helicopters according to Jiji news agency reports. Local authorities are reviewing safety protocols for manned flights near the active crater area. This tragic event occurs against the backdrop of Mount Aso's volcanic activity, with the mountain last erupting in October 2021 and sending a massive smoke plume into the atmosphere.
Helicopter tours over Mount Aso's volcanic landscapes represent a significant tourist attraction for Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan. In a concerning historical parallel, a Takumi Enterprise sightseeing helicopter made an emergency landing while flying over Mount Aso in 2024, resulting in injuries to all three people on board.
No further information about the status of the passengers has been released as search operations remain suspended due to the challenging environmental conditions surrounding the active volcanic crater.
