- Title: JAPAN: FIGHTER CRASHES KILLING THREE
- Date: 9th February 1969
- Summary: AERIAL VIEW CRASH AREA; VARIOUS DEVASTATED AREA; OFFICIALS AND RESCUERS GOING THROUGH WRECKAGE; VARIOUS FIREMEN AND WRECKAGE. Initials LD/V-TELE/JH/SC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 24th February 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KANAZAWA, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Reuters ID: LVA7AQ618T0TQI8QA3HAW0JLIDLJ
- Story Text: AN F104 JET FIGHTER OF THE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES YESTERDAY CRASHED INTO THE LIVING QUARTER OF KANAZAWA, A CITY OF 350,000 INHABITANTS 160 MILES (250 KMS.) WEST OF TOKYO. THE FIGHTER CRASH DESTROYED 26 HOUSES, KILLING THREE WOMEN AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDING 13 PERSONS.
THE CRASH OCCURRED WHEN SECOND LIEUTENANT MITSUTERU TATE WAS RETURNING TO HIS MILITARY AIRFIELD BASE AT KANAZAWA FROM A TRAINING FLIGHT TO THE NORTH OF TOKYO. THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY WAS SHAKEN BY VIOLENT THUNDER AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL OR TURN IT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SEA BEFORE BAILING OUT.
SECOND LIEUTENANT TATE, WHO IS A VETERAN PILOT WITH MORE THAN 1,900 HOURS FLYING TIME, WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY INJURED.
THE CRASH SENT EXPLODING WRECKAGE AND PETROL OVER A LARGE SEA, DESTROYING EIGHT HOUSES OUTRIGHT IN THE CRASH AND EIGHTEEN OTHERS IN THE FIRES THAT FOLLOWED. THE F104 IS A U.S. MILITARY JET KNOWN AS THE "STARFIGHTER".
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
