Preparations for retrieving the wreckage of the Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter that crashed off the Okinawa Prefecture island of Miyako could start before the end of this month, but the depth of the sea at the site and the seabed's complex topography are expected to make for a challenging recovery operation.
Thursday marked two weeks since the UH-60JA multipurpose helicopter disappeared from radar near Miyako with 10 personnel aboard, including the head of the GSDF's 8th Division. No survivors have been found.
The extent of the damage to the crashed aircraft has astonished those involved in the rescue operation.
