THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The wreckage of the Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 helicopter that crashed into the sea near Aruba on July 19 has been located on Sunday August 9, Ministerie van Defensie (Dutch Ministry of Defense) reports on Monday. The marine helicopter is laying on the seabed in two pieces. The Ministerie van Defensie is examining whether the helicopter can be recovered.

A public-private partnership – the Maritime Capacity Alliance – located the position of the helicopter. The NH90 appears to be divided into two parts. One part is located on the spot where the plane crashed into the sea, about 12 kilometers off the coast of Aruba. The other part was found about 100 kilometers away.

Defense is investigating whether the remains of the NH90 can be salvaged.

Two of the four occupants were killed in the accident. The other two were rescued and suffered minor injuries.

Based on the first research results, a technical defect is virtually excluded. What caused the helicopter to crash into the Caribbean Sea is still being investigated.

☆☆☆

(Head photo: A Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 flying over the Black Sea on April 4, 2019 during exercise SNMG2 Photo: © Ministerie van Defensie)