A South Korean Navy patrol plane crashed during a training flight on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in the southeastern city of Pohang, the Navy confirmed in a statement. The aircraft, which was carrying four personnel, took off from its base at 1:43 p.m. before plummeting into a mountainous area for reasons yet to be determined.
Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing an unidentified object fall from the sky, prompting emergency services to rush to the crash site. Rescue teams, including fire trucks and emergency responders, were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Photos from the area showed thick smoke rising from the mountain where the plane went down. Authorities have not yet confirmed the condition of the four people aboard.
Pohang’s Nambu police station verified that the crash involved a Navy patrol aircraft but said it was too early to confirm whether there were any fatalities or injuries.
The Navy said it is investigating the cause of the crash and working to determine the status of the personnel onboard.