3 isle Marines
injured in Okinawa
A Kaneohe helicopter crashes
and burns on a university campus
Three Kaneohe Marines are recuperating in an Okinawa military hospital after their CH-53D Sea Stallion crashed on the campus of Okinawa International University Friday.
All three are in stable condition at Camp Lester Naval Hospital and their names are being withheld pending notification of their families, Chuck Little, said Marine Forces Pacific spokesman at Camp Smith.
Little said the helicopter -- one of seven belonging to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 -- and crew of 100 left Kaneohe Bay in April as part of a scheduled seven-month unit deployment program. The squadron is commanded by Lt. Col. Henry Mathews.
Little said the helicopter was conducting routine training when it crashed.
The Daily Yomiuri newspaper reported yesterday that the helicopter burst into flames after it went down at about 2:15 p.m. and hit a building of Okinawa International University in Ginowan city near Futenma Air Station.
Parts of the helicopter hit the building and fragments of the building were scattered around the area, breaking windows of neighboring homes and cars. The university is now on summer break and no civilian injuries were reported.
However, the Stars and Stripes reported that about 200 students were on the campus. The school is about 330 yards from the Marine air station's southern fence line.
The paper said Okinawa police say about 25 people were in the building.
It quoted Yasutake Kuroshima, director of the university's administration office, who was in front of the building when the helicopter went down, who said he's used to helicopter noise over the area and knew right away the helicopter flying over him was in trouble.
"It did not sound right," he said. "I looked up and saw a rotor blade snap off the helicopter and fall. At the same time the helicopter started to spin, making a zig-zag flight, and began to fall to the ground. ... I realized it was coming toward me, so I shouted to people nearby to run away and I ran too.
"In the meantime, with the shock of the helicopter hitting the building, about 25 or so people from inside dashed out and ran away as far as they could."
He said he heard a small explosion when the aircraft hit the ground, and then thick black smoke enveloped the area. "Then I heard three louder explosions," he said.
At a brief news conference, Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Blackman, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, said the helicopter was conducting routine training and experienced "some type of mechanical failure." He made the statement yesterday after meeting with the two vice governors of the Okinawa Prefectural government to express his regret for the incident.
The U.S. government will pay 75 percent of the damages, the Daily Yomiuri reported, and the Japanese government 25 percent, in line with the status of forces agreement.
www.mcbh.usmc.mil
