Five people were found alive after a rescue helicopter with seven people aboard crashed into a mountain Sunday in the central Japanese prefecture of Saitama, Kyodo News reported, citing local police.
The chopper was on the way to rescue a member of a nine-climber party on the mountain when it crashed into the mountain some 3 km southwest of the Karisaka tunnel on the national highway Route 140 around 11:10 a.m. (0210 GMT), said the report, Xinhua reported.
The helicopter did not burst into flame and is still smoldering, it said, citing the land ministry..
The seven people onboard the helicopter include a pilot, a co- pilot, three aviation security officers of the prefectural government and two rescue operators from the local fire department, according to the local government.