Japan Confirms Wreckage of Missing Helicopter Near Mount Aso

Authorities in southwestern Japan confirmed the discovery of wreckage from a sightseeing helicopter that vanished near the crater of Mount Aso on Tuesday, January 20, with three people aboard presumed to have crashed in the incident.

The aircraft, operated by Takumi Enterprise, departed from the Aso Cuddly Dominion zoo in Kumamoto Prefecture at 10:52 a.m. local time for a routine 10-minute scenic flight over the volcano's summit. On board were a 64-year-old Japanese pilot with more than 40 years of experience, a 41-year-old Taiwanese man, and a 36-year-old Taiwanese woman. Contact was lost approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, around 11:02 a.m., according to the operator. Fire authorities received an emergency alert, likely from a passenger's smartphone, at 11:04 a.m., and the helicopter's GPS signal was last detected near the Nakadake crater before going offline.

This was the third flight of the day for the U.S.-made Robinson R44 helicopter, and the operator reported no abnormalities during the previous two trips. The zoo offers such panoramic rides to showcase the area's volcanic landscapes, drawing tourists to one of Japan's most active volcanoes.