A major part of the wreckage of a Self-Defense Forces helicopter that went missing in early April was hauled from the seabed Tuesday by a salvage company.
The UH-60JA helicopter disappeared with 10 members on board on April 6 in waters off Okinawa Prefecture. The operation brought the wreckage up from 106 meters below the surface north of Irabu Island.
To ascertain the cause of the incident, the Ground Self-Defense Force is examining the helicopter's flight recorder as well as the section recovered, which is so extensively damaged as to be almost unrecognizable, a government source said.
The piece of wreckage was hauled up after being wrapped in a net by a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
The camouflaged fuselage moved onto the vessel was heavily damaged, with only what appear to be a fuel tank and a propeller maintaining part of their original shapes.
On Friday, vessels reached the area where the helicopter was found, with the investigation of the chopper and seabed starting the next day. The operation was subsequently delayed due to high waves, with preparations recommencing Monday.
Six bodies have been recovered from the site of the aircraft including that of Lt. Gen. Yuichi Sakamoto, 55, commander of the GSDF's 8th Division based in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The GSDF recovered the sixth body on Monday after the salvage company moved the chopper's wreckage in preparation to pull it up.
The GSDF is working to identify the sixth body, while five other bodies have been identified.
