Five Killed In Helicopter Crash In South Korea - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2022) Five people were killed in a crash of a US-made helicopter in South Korea's Gangwon Province on Sunday, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing firefighters.

The US-made Sikorsky S-58T helicopter crashed in the coastal county of Yangyang at around 10:50 local time (01:50 GMT), according to the media outlet. Smoke started coming from the site, after which parts of the helicopter caught fire. A helicopter, 28 units of equipment and 114 first responders and firefighters reportedly arrived to the scene.

The helicopter, rented by the Japanese authorities, was flying around the area and examining a forest for fires, when the tragedy took place, the news agency reported. Initially, only two people � a 71-year-old pilot and a 54-year-old mechanic � were believed to have been on board at the time of accident. However, later in the day, rescuers found five bodies at the site.

Surveillance camera footage reportedly indicated that all five people had been on board the helicopter.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo ordered local authorities to do everything possible to eliminate the consequences of the crash and help families of the victims, according to the report.

This is the fourth helicopter crash in South Korea in the last two years, and all four times the accidents involved aircraft made by US manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. In April 2021, an S-76C+ helicopter crashed, killing one person and injuring another. In April 2022, two co-pilots were killed and a mechanic went missing in an S-92 helicopter accident. Another co-pilot was rescued. In May 2022, an S-61N forest firefighting helicopter also crashed, killing a crew captain and injuring a co-pilot and a mechanic.