http://www.stripes.com/news/us-navy-hel ... -1.257873#
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan – A U.S. Navy Knighthawk helicopter crash landed in an empty area of reclaimed land about 10 miles southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, officials said Monday afternoon.
The MH-60S, belonging to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 out of Naval Air Facility Atsugi, crashed after sending a distress call at 3:31 p.m. Monday, according to a Commander Naval Forces Japan spokesman.
The helicopter attempted an emergency landing and crashed on its left side in the empty area, across from Jogashima island on the southern part of the Miura Peninsula, in Miura city.
Of the four crewmembers aboard, two appeared to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries, a Miura fire department spokesman said. One appeared to have a suffered a leg injury, the spokesman said.
The injured crewmembers were transported to a hospital in Yokosuka and are in stable condition, Navy officials said Monday night.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Navy police were at the scene Monday night, preparing to examine the downed aircraft.
There was no reported property damage, the fire department spokesman said. Although the lot that the crew landed in was vacant, it is a few blocks away from a town fish market, docks, a beach and several restaurants.
Helicopters from the squadron, which belong to the USS George Washington’s carrier air wing, typically perform search and rescue operations, anti-surface warfare exercises and other functions.