Japan's defense ministry says two helicopters from the Maritime Self-Defense Force are believed to have collided with each other and crashed into the Pacific Ocean around Japan's Izu islands.

日本防卫省说，据信海上自卫队的两架直升机相撞，坠入日本伊豆群岛周围的太平洋。

It says one of the eight people on board is dead, and the other seven are unaccounted for.

据称，机上8人中有1人死亡，另外7人下落不明。

Earlier, the Japanese Broadcasting Association (NHK) and other media reported on the morning of the 21st that the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the Maritime Self-Defense Force released news that two Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters had lost contact near the Bird Island of the Izu Islands at around 22:30 local time on the 20th and around 23:00 local time. The two missing helicopters, both SH-60K Seahawk helicopters, were on a training mission. The helicopter that first lost contact was said to have sent an emergency signal.

此前消息称，日本广播协会（NHK）等媒体21日凌晨报道，日本防卫省和海上自卫队发布消息称，两架海上自卫队直升机先后在当地时间20日22时30分左右和23时左右，在伊豆群岛的鸟岛附近失联。两架失联直升机的机型均为SH-60K“海鹰”直升机，当时正在执行训练任务。据称，最先失联的直升机曾发出过紧急信号。