On April 29, a tragic military aviation accident occurred near Pohang Naval Base in Donghae-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, where a Navy P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members on board.
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| South Korea Navy Patrol Aircraft Crashes Near Pohang |
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Pohang City officials, and the Republic of Korea Navy, the aircraft took off from the base at 1:43 p.m. for a training mission but crashed just six minutes later, at approximately 1:49 p.m., for reasons still under investigation.
The crash claimed the lives of four Navy personnel: one Major (pilot), one Captain, and two non-commissioned officers (NCOs). All four were found deceased, their bodies burned in the wreckage. A Navy spokesperson confirmed that the remains have been recovered and will be transferred to Pohang Hospital for formal identification and investigation.
It was further confirmed that the P-3C aircraft does not have an ejection or escape system for emergency exits, making survival unlikely in such a sudden crash.
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| Firefighters are extinguishing the blaze caused by the accident |
The plane crashed just 260 meters away from a residential apartment complex with over 680 households, raising concerns of a potential mass casualty event. Fortunately, the aircraft landed in an open field near a rural farming area, avoiding any civilian injuries or deaths.
The aircraft had taken off from the Pohang-Gyeongju Airport runway, and the crash site was located approximately 1.8 kilometers away in a nearby mountainous area.
Upon impact, the crash caused a fire in the surrounding forest, prompting the Korea Forest Service to deploy four helicopters and 65 firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Witnesses reported seeing smoke rising behind the apartment complex and immediately alerted emergency services.
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| The P-3C Orion "submarine killer" aircraft |
The P-3C Orion, often referred to as a "submarine killer", has been the Republic of Korea Navy’s primary anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft since it was first introduced in 1995. A total of 16 P-3Cs are currently in operation, stationed at Pohang and Jeju.
Equipped with sonobuoys and advanced sonar detection systems, the P-3C plays a critical role in monitoring and neutralizing North Korea’s submarine fleet. This incident marks the first known crash involving the P-3C aircraft in South Korean service since its introduction.
Though the Navy has recently acquired six P-8A Poseidon aircraft, they are not yet operational, making the P-3C the only active patrol aircraft currently deployed for missions.
The Navy emphasized that flight operations of all P-3 maritime patrol aircraft are suspended until further notice to ensure the safety of future missions and personnel.
Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
“경북 포항시 남구 동해면의 포항 해군기지 인근에 해군 P-3C 대잠초계기가 추락했다. 당시 이 비행기에 타고 있던 조종사 등 승무원 4명의 시신이 발견됐다.”
Key Vocabulary:
- 포항시 남구 동해면 (Po-hang-si Nam-gu Dong-hae-myeon) – Donghae-myeon, Nam District, Pohang City
- 해군기지 (hae-gun-gi-ji) – naval base
- 인근 (in-geun) – vicinity, nearby
- P-3C 대잠초계기 (dae-jam-cho-gye-gi) – P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft
- 추락하다 (chu-rak-ha-da) – to crash (used for aircraft)
- 조종사 (jo-jong-sa) – pilot
- 승무원 (seung-mu-won) – crew member
- 시신 (si-sin) – body (of a deceased person)
- 발견되다 (bal-gyeon-dwe-da) – to be found
Grammar Notes:
- ~에 추락했다 → “crashed into/at ~”: 인근에 추락했다 = "crashed near (the area)"
- ~에 타고 있던 ~ → “~ who were on board (something)”: 비행기에 타고 있던 조종사 등 → “the pilot and others who were on board the aircraft”
- ~시신이 발견됐다 = "the bodies were found"
Translation:
“A Navy P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft crashed near the Pohang naval base in Donghae-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang City. The bodies of four crew members, including the pilot, who were on board the aircraft, were discovered.”
References: YTN news, chosun news, daum news, mbc news
Keywords
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