The crew of a rescue helicopter in southern Japan’s southern Kyushu region on Wednesday reported that they had sighted the tourist helicopter that was carrying a pilot and two passengers when it crashed into the volcanic crater of Mount Aso on Monday, but the squad opted against trying to land and check the wreck for survivors since the volcano’s really dangerous, the AP reports.
On top of the hazardous fumes from the volcano, the crew also faced strong winds, which could take the helicopter down and the men’s rescue before they succumbed to the elements.
But hey, they found the tour helicopter… And to stop being so obnoxious about it, it can be allowed that the crew saw no signs of life at the crash site, so it might be a little much to risk their asses only to find a wreck with three dead bodies inside. Had there been three people waving their arms screaming “HELP!” and the chopper still flew off then they would’ve needed a better reason.