Navy Patrol Aircraft Crashes During Training... All 4 Passengers Killed

On the 29th, a Navy maritime patrol aircraft crashed into a mountain in Pohang, Gyeongbuk. All four crew members were killed. It is reported that there were no civilian casualties.

According to the Navy, at around 1:49 PM on the same day, a P-3CK patrol aircraft operated by the Navy crashed into a mountain near Sinjeong-ri, Donghae-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang-si. It was 6 minutes after taking off from the Pohang base for training at 1:43 PM on the same day.

The patrol aircraft had two officers, including a major, and two non-commissioned officers on board. The Navy explained, "We have confirmed all four bodies of the maritime patrol aircraft crew and are currently handling them." It is reported that the identities of each deceased person found near the aircraft's wing have not yet been confirmed.

When the accident occurred, the fire authorities mobilized 2 helicopters, 17 pieces of equipment, and 40 personnel to conduct firefighting operations and search for passengers simultaneously. It is reported that the patrol aircraft was completely destroyed by fire, making it unrecognizable.

The patrol aircraft involved in the accident was not armed with weapons such as missiles, as it was in training. However, it is reported that, unlike fighter jets, it does not have a function for the pilot to eject on their own.

Residents who witnessed the situation testified that just before the accident, the patrol aircraft was circling about two times to land and suddenly fell rapidly to the ground. They also stated that a loud noise was heard due to the impact of the accident.

The Navy explained, "We are forming an accident countermeasure headquarters under the supervision of the Deputy Chief of Staff to confirm the cause of the accident."

The P-3 patrol aircraft involved in the accident is an American-made anti-submarine patrol aircraft that the Navy has been operating since 1995. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the initial model P-3A was produced from the early 1960s, and the performance-enhanced P-3C series was introduced domestically.

Equipped with four turboprop engines, it can carry torpedoes, depth charges, bombs, and missiles to attack submarines and maritime targets, earning it the nickname 'submarine killer'.

In 1995, eight P-3C models were first introduced, and later, eight P-3CK models, which were almost newly made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) from P-3Bs held in reserve by the US military, were introduced, totaling 16 units.

However, concerns about overworking the aircraft have been constant while patrolling the Korean Peninsula, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides, with only 16 units. In Japan's case, 102 P-3C units were introduced and operated before 1990, possessing far superior patrol capabilities than Korea.

The Navy announced that it achieved '10 years without accidents' in 2005 and '20 years without accidents' in 2015, respectively, for the P-3, which was introduced in its 10th year and 20th year, but a crash occurred in its 30th year of introduction this year.

In January 2017, a P-3CK accidentally dropped six weapons, including Harpoon anti-ship missiles, into the sea due to crew error during a patrol mission.

wangjylee@fnnews.com Lee Jong-yun Reporter