Navy patrol plane, with 4 people onboard, crashes in South Korea

A South Korean Navy P-3 maritime patrol aircraft crashed near a military base in the southern city of Pohang on Thursday. The aircraft, carrying four crew members, went down at approximately 1:43 pm local time shortly after taking off from the Pohang naval base during a training flight.

Emergency responders were dispatched immediately after residents reported seeing an unidentified object fall and hearing an explosion near the crash site. Smoke was observed rising from the mountainous area adjacent to a factory zone where the plane reportedly went down. Rescue teams, including fire trucks, are conducting operations at the scene.

The South Korean Navy confirmed the crash and stated that it is investigating the cause of the accident and the status of the four personnel onboard. At this time, no official information has been released regarding casualties or survivors.

This incident follows previous aviation accidents in South Korea, including a fatal passenger plane crash in December at Muan International Airport, which resulted in 179 fatalities out of 181 people onboard. Authorities continue to focus on the ongoing rescue efforts and determining the exact reasons for the current crash.