US Marines: 1 dead after plane collision off Kochi

NHK -- Dec 07

The US Marine Corps says one of the 2 crewmembers rescued after a mid-air collision between 2 US military aircraft off Japan's western coast is dead.

The Marine Corps made the announcement on Thursday.

The collision between a fighter jet and a refueling aircraft occurred about 100 kilometers off Kochi Prefecture early Thursday morning. The planes, carrying a total of 7 crewmembers, crashed into the ocean soon after.

Both planes operate out of the US Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Japan's western prefecture of Yamaguchi.

The aircraft were on a training mission at the time of the collision. But details remain unknown, including whether the accident took place while they were engaged in a mid-air refueling exercise.

Japan's Defense Ministry is asking the US military for information.

Self-Defense Forces personnel are continuing their search for the missing crewmembers through the night.

Dec 07 (ANNnewsCH) - アメリカ海兵隊の岩国基地所属の空中給油機と戦闘攻撃機が日本の沖合で接触し、墜落しました。合わせて7人が搭乗していて、これまでのところ、2人が救助されています。 防衛省によりますと、6日正午すぎに捜索にあたっていた海上自衛隊の護衛艦が新たに1人を発見し、収容したということです。