Three bodies found at helicopter crash site in Japan’s Mount Aso volcanic crater

Three bodies have been found in a volcanic crater on one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, a month after a sightseeing helicopter crashed near the area, authorities said on Thursday.

The local fire department said the remains are of the three people who were on the helicopter that crashed on 20 January on Mount Aso in the Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu.

Authorities said they will try to recover the bodies. There were three people on board: a Japanese pilot in his 60s, a man in his 40s, and a woman in her 30s. The man and the woman are believed to be Taiwanese nationals, Kyodo News reported at the time.

The aircraft went down after taking off from Aso Cuddly Dominion, a zoo and theme park that offers helicopter rides. The flight was meant to last about 10 minutes and offer an aerial view of the volcano’s craters and its surrounding landscape.

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At the time, the local police said the wreckage, possibly of the missing helicopter, was spotted inside the crater of Nakadake, one of Mt Aso’s five peaks.

Rescuers had been unable to approach the site due to strong winds, limited visibility and high concentrations of volcanic gas.

Local media reported that the pilot was highly experienced, with decades of flight time and previous work as a flight instructor.

Fire officials said an emergency alert was received at around 11.04am local time on 20 January. The alert was believed to have been triggered by a passenger’s smartphone feature that activates during a strong impact, according to The japan">Japan Times. Global Positioning System (GPS) signals from the aircraft were last detected near the crater before stopping completely.

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Mount Aso, located within the Aso-Kuju National Park, is a major tourist destination, particularly popular with visitors from overseas.

According to the latest figures from Japanese authorities, around 1.18 million foreign tourists visited the park in 2024, making it the country’s second most-visited national park after Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which includes Mount Fuji.

While Mount Nakadake remains an active volcano, the Japan Meteorological Agency says its eruption alert level is currently at 1, indicating relatively low activity. Aerial flights are generally permitted when weather conditions are stable, although drone flights are banned within a one-kilometre radius of the crater due to recovery risks.

Mount Aso last erupted in October 2021, sending a large plume of ash and smoke into the air.