Three Bod!es Recovered As South Korean Navy Patrol Aircraft Cr¶shes Near Military Base

Three Bodies Recovered As South Korean Navy Patrol Aircraft Crashes Near Military Base

The aircraft crashed Thursday afternoon near a military base, according to an official statement from the South Korean navy.

Three bodies were recovered after a South Korean Navy patrol aircraft with four people on board crashed into a mountain in the southeastern city of Pohang on Thursday, authorities said.

The aircraft crashed Thursday afternoon near a military base, according to an official statement from the South Korean navy.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:43 p.m. local time (0443 GMT), sparking an immediate emergency response from military and civilian authorities, according to Yonhap News Agency.

“A P-3 maritime patrol aircraft that took off at 1:43 p.m. for landing and takeoff training from an air base in Pohang crashed at a nearby location at around 1:49 p.m., due to an unspecified reason,” the Navy said.

Later in the day, three bodies believed to be those of the crew members were recovered at the crash site.

The Navy confirmed the deaths of two of the four personnel on board, comprising two officers and two non-commissioned officers, but said their identities have yet to be officially verified.

An investigative unit has been established by the Navy to determine the cause of the incident. Authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties occurred.

Fire and rescue teams deployed 17 vehicles and approximately 40 personnel to manage the situation.

According to the presidential office, Acting President Lee Ju-ho received a briefing from acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho and instructed authorities to make every effort to rescue the remaining crew and minimise environmental damage.

This crash marks the first known incident involving one of the armed service’s P-3C aircraft.