The powerful airflow from a helicopter caused a Japanese teacher to fall fatally during a school event at the U.S. military's Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture last year, according to a U.S. military report. The 60-year-old woman suffered severe head injuries and died five days later despite emergency treatment.
On April 22, 2025, a rescue helicopter flew too close to spectators gathered outside Kadena Elementary School at the U.S. military's Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture during a school event awaiting a flight demonstration. The powerful downward airflow, known as rotor wash, generated by the helicopter's rotor blades caused a 60-year-old Japanese female teacher's umbrella to open, leading her to lose balance and fall. The teacher, who worked at a different U.S. military-related elementary school in the southern prefecture, was not identified due to privacy concerns.
She sustained severe head injuries and, despite emergency hospital treatment, died five days after the incident. The rotor wash also knocked over two students, though neither suffered serious injuries. According to an Air Force Accident Investigation Board report cited by the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes on Friday, the spectators were positioned too near the helicopter's final approach path, with the teacher at about 26 meters—far short of the required minimum 150-meter separation under Air Force regulations.
The school serves children, including dependents of U.S. service members, highlighting concerns over safety protocols during base events.
