A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) plane disappeared from radar on Monday morning in the southern part of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture, government sources said.
There were four people on board the plane, when it lost contact with a ground controller at around 11:50 a.m. local time, the defense ministry said.
The LR-2 reconnaissance plane was flying in a westerly direction from Hakodate airport in Hokkaido, the ministry added.
The twin prop plane is 14 meters in length and has a capacity of 10 people. A stretcher for transporting emergency patients is installed in the aircraft, and the plane is also used for reconnaissance missions by the GSDF.
