訓練くんれん中ちゅうの航空こうくう自衛隊じえいたいF2戦闘せんとう機き 茨城いばらき県けん沖おきに墜落ついらく 隊員たいいん1人にんが救助きゅうじょ

On the afternoon of the 7th, an Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jet that was training off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture crashed, and the one crew member on board made an emergency escape.

Afterwards, the person was rescued and their life is not in danger. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force is investigating the details of the accident.

Around 12:30 p.m. on the 7th, an F-2 fighter jet belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces Hyakuri Base crashed while training off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture.

There was one crew member on board, and this crew member made an emergency escape, was rescued at sea by a rescue helicopter, and transported to a hospital.

It means that there is no danger to life.

Also, it has been stated that, as of now, no damage to ships or similar vessels has been confirmed.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has suspended all F-2 fighter jet flights for the time being and is investigating the details of the accident.

In May of this year, a T-4 trainer aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force also crashed into a pond in Aichi Prefecture, resulting in the deaths of two crew members.

The F-2 fighter is an aircraft jointly developed by Japan and the United States, and has been operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force since 2000.

The total length is approximately 15 meters, the width is about 11 meters, and there are two types: single-seater and two-seater.

According to the Self-Defense Forces, the aircraft that crashed this time was a single-seater type.

Currently, they are deployed at bases such as Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture, and each aircraft is scheduled to be retired starting around 2035, about ten years from now.

Regarding the F2 fighter jets, there was also an accident four years ago in 2021 in which two aircraft collided while flying over Yamaguchi Prefecture.

In May this year, an Air Self-Defense Force T-4 trainer aircraft crashed into Lake Iruka in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, killing two crew members.

In April last year, two Maritime Self-Defense Force SH-60 patrol helicopters collided and crashed during nighttime training off the coast of Torishima in the Izu Islands, resulting in the deaths of eight crew members.

In April two years ago, a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force UH-60 helicopter crashed off the coast of Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture, resulting in the deaths of 10 crew members.

In January 2022, an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter jet crashed into the Sea of Japan off the coast of Ishikawa Prefecture, killing two crew members.

In April 2019, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35 fighter jet crashed off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, resulting in the death of one pilot.

In February of the same year, 2019, an Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jet crashed into the Sea of Japan off the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture while flying, and the two crew members on board were rescued.

In February 2018, a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter crashed into a residential area in Saga Prefecture, resulting in the deaths of two crew members.

At Ibaraki Airport, commercial aircraft are operating as usual.

Mayor of Omitama: Deeply Regrettable Kozo Shimada, the mayor of Omitama City in Ibaraki Prefecture, where the Hyakuri Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is located, said, I am deeply regretful that this situation has caused great anxiety among the citizens.

As for the crew members, it seems their lives are not in danger, so I am relieved for now.

I believe that an investigation into the details of the accident will proceed in the future, but as a city, in order to prioritize the safety of our citizens, we strongly urge the Ministry of Defense to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into the cause and to implement measures to prevent a recurrence.