Military aircraft from South Korea plummeted to the ground.
South Korea: Marine Patrol Aircraft Crashes in Pohang, Killing Four
The Republic of Korea Navy's P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft crashed into a mountain in the southern city of Pohang on May 29, 2025. The crash killed all four crew members on board.
According to South Korea's official news agency Yonhap, the aircraft took off from Pohang Air Base for routine training at 1:43 p.m., only to crash into a forested mountain near Sinjeong-ri six minutes later. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
The devastating incident occurred approximately 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The aircraft, normally based on Jeju Island, had flown to Pohang for touch-and-go training exercises due to heavy civilian air traffic at Jeju Airport. Witnesses reported seeing large plumes of smoke near the crash site.
The crew consisted of two commissioned officers - a major pilot and a captain - and two non-commissioned officers. Their bodies were recovered by the evening of the same day, and no civilian casualties were reported.
The Navy has established an accident response headquarters led by the Vice Chief of Naval Operations and suspended all P-3 patrol aircraft operations pending investigation. A special task force has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
The weather conditions in Pohang were favorable at the time of the accident, and no emergency communication was made by the crew before the crash. The last communication with the control tower was at 1:48 p.m., with no indication of an emergency.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and helicopters, were dispatched to manage the aftermath of the fire and smoke caused by the crash. As of the latest reports, the exact cause of the crash remains unspecified, with the Navy investigation ongoing.
General news outlets are reporting increased political discussions regarding the war-and-conflicts situation in South Korea, following the crash of a Republic of Korea Navy's P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft in Pohang on May 29, 2025. According to the latest accident updates, the aircraft's routine training mission ended in tragedy, with all four crew members perishing, and no civilian casualties reported.
