Two people found on Sunday following a deep-sea dive in search of a Self-Defense Forces helicopter have been confirmed dead, the Ground Self-Defense Force said, in the first official confirmation of deaths resulting from the incident since the chopper lost contact in early April.
Earlier in the day, the GSDF said five bodies and part of the UH-60JA helicopter, which went missing with 10 personnel aboard off the southern prefecture of Okinawa, have been located.
The SDF is still working to recover the three other bodies, which remain underwater, as quickly as possible. A damaged part of the chopper has also been located and is expected to be retrieved by a private salvaging company.