NAHA, Okinawa Pref. -- A U.S. military helicopter crashed Friday on a university campus in Okinawa, injuring three crew members, local police officials said.

The CH-53 helicopter crashed at Okinawa International University, in the city of Ginowan, according to Okinawa Prefectural Police. The university is located in a densely populated neighborhood bordering the south side of U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station, from where the chopper took off.

Local police said that of the three marines on board, one was seriously injured and the other two slightly hurt. Witnesses were quoted as saying the chopper appeared to have lost control, hit a school building and crashed into a parking lot.