U.S. Marine helicopter accidentally drops a car near beach in Okinawa

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U.S. Marine helicopter accidentally drops a car near beach in Okinawa

A U.S. Marine Corps CH53E helicopter dropped a car on the afternoon of December 13 in the sea near Yomitan Fishing Port in Yomitan Village in Okinawa Prefecture. The U.S. Marines explained that turbulence caused this accident.

The car crashed only 200 meters from a beach off the U.S. Torii Communication Site. The U.S. helicopter was conducting a vehicle transport training exercise using the scrapped car on its way from Torii to the U.S. Irisuna Firing Range in the prefecture.

Yomitan Village Mayor Yasuda Keizo, Village Assembly Chair Maeda Yoshiteru, and all other assembly members on December 14 visited the Naha Defense Facilities Administration Bureau, requesting that the U.S. forces immediately stop helicopter flights hanging heavy cargo by means of cables.

On December 15, Japanese Communist Party Okinawa Prefectural Committee Secretary Furugen Muneyoshi and other JCP representatives visited the Foreign Ministry Okinawa Office and the Naha Defense Facilities Administration Bureau and lodged a strong protest. They demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, an apology of the U.S. forces, and a total ban on U.S. helicopter flights with hanging cargo outside the perimeters of the U.S. bases.

JCP House of Representatives member Akamine Seiken and JCP members of prefectural and village assemblies on December 16 carried out an on-site investigation.

Pointing out that around the area some 5,000 people enjoy diving there every year and that fixed net fishing is also conducted for the enjoyment of children during the summer holidays, Yomitan Fishermen's cooperative chair Teruya Seishu said, "We really want to keep the sea safe."

Hika Shoichi who heads the Sobe district, the most adjacent residential area to the spot, said, "On the day of the accident, the weather was fine and wind conditions were calm. The U.S. explanation that the accident was caused by turbulence is not convincing. I assume some mistake caused it."

A resident who saw the accident said, "We have seen U.S. helicopters conducting exercises hanging personnel as well as material in midair many times. The U.S. helicopter that dropped the scrapped car was flying lower than usual. I don't believe the U.S. explanation."
- Akahata, December 14, 15, 16, & 17, 2006