3 weeks ago
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The missing vehicle has been described as a sightseeing helicopter.
09:06, Tue, Jan 20, 2026 Updated: 09:06, Tue, Jan 20, 2026
A helicopter has gone missing in Japan (Image: Getty)
A helicopter that had been sightseeing in the Kumamoto area has gone missing on Tuesday, January 20. Police said a helicopter from the force "discovered what appeared to be an aircraft" near the first crater of Mount Aso's Nakadake in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
The helicopter, which may have been carrying tourists and is believed to have had three people on board, went missing at approximately 11am.
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2 mins ago09:06 Rebecca Robinson
Images from the scene
Pictures and videos of the search and rescue efforts have begun circulating on social media, with local reports saying the weather conditions are making the situation extremely difficult.
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17 mins ago08:51 Rebecca Robinson
Bad weather impeding search
The director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka said thick fog is preventing rescue crews from accessing the helicopter.
Their efforts will resume when weather conditions and volcanic gas levels ease.
21 mins ago08:47 Rebecca Robinson
Where did the helicopter go missing?
The helicopter went missing at around midday today near the peak of Mount Aso in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture.
It had taken off from the Aso Cuddly Dominion zoo and lost contact near airspace over Mount Aso, reports ETtoday.
At around 11am local time, authorities received an alert from a passenger's smartphone, indicating that it had sustained impact.
26 mins ago08:42 Rebecca Robinson
Helicopter located
Chen Ming-jun, the director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka, said the helicopter has been located using mobile phone signals, Taiwan News reports.
The location has not been publicly revealed yet.
27 mins ago08:41 Rebecca Robinson
Japanese forces deployed
Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Takashi Kimura has contacted Chen Ming-jun, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka for more information on the search.
He said the the Japan Self-Defence Forces have been mobilised to help with the search.
30 mins ago08:38 Rebecca Robinson
Passengers and pilot identified
The Taiwanese tourists have been identified as a 41-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, reports Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, and the pilot is a 64-year-old Japanese man.
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32 mins ago08:36 Rebecca Robinson
Two tourists on board
Two Taiwanese tourists were on board the helicopter when it went missing near the peak of Mount Aso in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture.
34 mins ago08:34 Rebecca Robinson
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the missing sightseeing helicopter in Japan. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
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