Medical Helicopter Accident: How Can the Safe Transport of Islanders Be Ensured?

Editorial

16:37 JST, April 10, 2025

An accident involving a medical helicopter, a lifeline for residents on outlying islands, resulted in the death of passengers, including a patient and a doctor. The cause of the accident should be clarified swiftly, and safety measures should be strengthened so that regional medical services do not become paralyzed.

The helicopter carrying six people took off from Tsushima, an outlying island in Nagasaki Prefecture, and was found capsized on the surface of the sea on April 6. It had lost contact as it was transporting a patient to a hospital in Fukuoka City.

Three people onboard died in the accident: the elderly patient, a family member that was accompanying her, and the doctor. The pilot, mechanic and nurse were taken to a hospital, but their condition is reportedly not life-threatening.

It is painful to think of the patient, who could have received proper treatment at a hospital on Kyushu, and her family members. It is also regrettable that a young doctor who was contributing to regional medical care lost his life.

The hospital in Fukuoka City has been outsourcing helicopter operations to a private airline company, which has transported patients in about 80 cases per year. The operator said that a pre-flight inspection revealed no abnormalities in the aircraft and that there also were no problems with the health of the pilot.

However, another helicopter operated by the company crashed into farmland in Fukuoka Prefecture in July last year, killing the two people aboard. Because of this, the hospital suspended the use of helicopters through November.

The fact that multiple serious accidents have occurred in such a short period of time cannot be overlooked. The cause of last year’s accident is reportedly still unknown. The company should promptly examine on its own whether there were any deficiencies in the measures taken to prevent another accident.

Due to the latest accident, the Karatsu Coast Guard Office searched the airline company on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injury, among other charges. The government’s Transport Safety Board is also investigating the cause. The findings of the investigations must be applied to future safety measures.

Helicopters are indispensable for protecting the health of islanders in Nagasaki Prefecture and other regions with outlying islands.

Compared to ships crossing the sea, helicopters can travel in a shorter time. If an island resident suddenly needs surgery for a brain or heart ailment, they can quickly be transported by helicopter to a hospital on one of the main islands and be treated by a specialist.

Helicopters have been dispatched 700 to 800 times per year from the Nagasaki Medical Center, the flagship hospital of Nagasaki Prefecture, including travel between the center and outlying islands.

The widespread use of medical helicopters has contributed to saving many lives. To support medical services in regions with declining populations, it is essential to fully utilize helicopters and maintain the ability to transport patients without delay.

In the wake of this accident, hospitals that use helicopters for medical services, the central and local governments and other relevant organizations are urged to again conduct a thorough inspection of operating systems.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 10, 2025)