The mountain accident that occurred on July 25 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, triggered a series of tragic events. A female hiker who fell into a ravine died despite being rescued, and the rescue helicopter sent to save her crashed, killing all five crew members on board. On August 1, it was reported that two Japanese TV reporters who went to the accident site for an interview also lost their lives.
Japanese TV reporter Kita Yuro and cameraman Kawakami Jun went missing after heading to the helicopter crash site in Otaki Valley, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, on July 31. Rescue workers found their bodies this morning near a stream about two to three kilometers downstream from the crash site. Both had no vital signs and were pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.
The mountain guide who accompanied them said that at around 6:30 a.m. on July 31, he took the two journalists up the mountain to film. As they were approaching the crash site, the guide felt their clothing was too light for the terrain and decided to turn back. The three returned to the trailhead around 10:00 a.m.
Shortly after descending, the two reporters told the guide they wanted to go back up to take some photos on their own. The guide instructed them to return by 2:00 p.m., but when they failed to come back by 6:00 p.m., he asked the Japanese TV station to alert the authorities.
When their bodies were discovered the next morning, the two were only wearing short-sleeved T-shirts and sports clothes. Their backpacks had been washed about 50 meters downstream, and their lower bodies were submerged in the stream.
Personnel from the Japanese TV station stated that the two had been carrying business radios but lost contact while moving along the Kuroiwane Ridge hiking trail. Kawakami, 43, was a veteran photographer with extensive experience covering mountain expeditions—no one expected such an accident to happen.
The accident site is located in a rugged valley, and the helicopter crashed at an altitude of 1,100 meters. It takes four to five hours to hike to the area from the nearest trailhead. Local police had urged the media to avoid the site to prevent accidents, but even so, the chain of disasters could not be stopped.