Sightseeing helicopter with three on board crashes near Japan’s Mount Aso

A sightseeing helicopter that went missing with three people on board was found to have crashed near Mount Aso, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, according to the country’s transport ministry.

Search and rescue is still on for the people who were 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.

The helicopter lost contact shortly after departing from a tourist facility in Aso City in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu late on Tuesday morning. The flight was meant to last about 10 minutes and offer aerial views of the volcano’s craters and its surrounding landscape.

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

open image in gallery

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

According to Kyodo News, Chen Ming-jun, director of the Fukuoka Branch of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Osaka, arrived at the scene on Wednesday and conveyed thanks to the search-and-rescue operations on behalf of Taiwan president Lai Ching-te. The families of the Taiwanese passengers arrived in Kumamoto in the afternoon.

Takumi Morioka, president of the helicopter operator, Takumi Enterprise, told a press conference in Aso that he was praying for the survival of those on board, Kyodo News reported.

"We will fully cooperate in the investigation into the cause of the accident," he said.

According to local media, the pilot was highly experienced, with decades of flight time and a background as a flight instructor.

Fire officials said an emergency alert was received at around 11.04am local time on Tuesday, apparently triggered by a passenger’s smartphone feature that activates during a strong impact, according to The Japan Times. GPS signals from the aircraft were last detected near the crater before cutting out completely.

open image in gallery

Following the incident, the company suspended all helicopter operations. The aircraft involved was a US-made Robinson R44 and was on its third sightseeing trip of the day. The operator said there were no problems during the helicopter’s earlier flights.

Weather conditions over Mount Nakadake deteriorated throughout Tuesday, forcing rescuers to pause operations in the evening. Searches resumed on Wednesday morning, with teams continuing to monitor gas levels before attempting to move closer to the crash site.

open image in gallery

Mount Aso, located within 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.

A tour operator who guides visitors from China and Taiwan told Mainichi that the area offered a “powerful experience of nature”, noting that helicopter tours are especially sought after for their close-up views of the craters. Long queues are common, the operator said, adding: “We never expected an accident to happen.”

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.