Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force says it has found a helmet belonging to one of the 10 personnel who were on board a helicopter that went missing last week, according to NHK World-Japan.
The GSDF says the helmet was retrieved on Sunday near the coast of the island of Irabujima in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.
The entire crew, including the head of the GSDF’s 8th Division, remain unaccounted for.
The UH-60JA multi-purpose helicopter vanished from radar on Thursday while flying over waters off the island of Miyakojima, which is adjacent to Irabujima.
GSDF personnel say the helmet has a microphone for radio communications and protective ear muffs, and is usually worn by pilots and engineers.
They also say the number on the helmet shows it belongs to one of the missing crewmembers.
On Sunday, search teams also found what appears to be part of the helicopter’s fuel tank, but the cockpit and engines have not been discovered.