It has been confirmed that three people lost their lives in a plane crash that occurred on Tuesday in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Teams that reached the wreckage of the aircraft, which crashed in a mountainous area in the morning hours, found the bodies of three men considered missing at the scene.
At around 10:40 a.m., a local resident noticed black smoke rising from a mountainous area and reported the emergency to the fire department. Police and fire teams then launched a search near the Oita prefectural border and soon located the aircraft wreckage.
Identities of the Victims Under Investigation
According to information from officials at Kyushu-Saga International Airport, of the three people believed to be on board, two were from Kyoto and one from Kobe. Police stated that identification efforts are ongoing.
The aircraft involved in the accident is believed to be a single-engine, five-seat Cirrus SR20 model belonging to the US-based Cirrus Aircraft company.
Aircraft Had Sent a Distress Signal
Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Transport reported that the aircraft sent a distress signal around 10:31 a.m., approximately 20 minutes after taking off from Kyushu-Saga International Airport. It was noted that the aircraft had landed at Yao Airport in Osaka on Monday and was scheduled to return to the same location on Tuesday.
According to the flight plan, the Cirrus SR20 was expected to depart Kyushu-Saga International Airport at 10:15 and arrive at Osaka Yao Airport around 12:45.
As the investigation into the cause of the accident continues, authorities announced that the area has been secured and examinations are ongoing.
