Pilot error likely caused a fighter jet to accidentally bomb civilian areas in a South Korean border city on March 6, injuring at least 15 people, military officials said.
Points of attention
- A fighter pilot in South Korea accidentally dropped bombs on civilian territory during joint exercises with U.S. troops, injuring over 15 people and damaging eight buildings.
- Investigation is ongoing to determine the causes of the pilot's error in incorrectly entering coordinates of the target, leading to the accidental bombing of a village.
- The South Korean military has suspended all live-fire exercises and apologized for the incident, promising to take necessary response measures, including compensation for damages.
In South Korea, a pilot accidentally dropped bombs on a village
According to officials, at 10:04 a.m., two KF-16 fighter jets "abnormally" dropped four MK-82 air-to-surface bombs each near a training ground in Pocheon, about 40 km north of Seoul, while participating in joint live-fire exercises with U.S. troops.
A BBC official told reporters that a preliminary investigation found that one of the pilots of the single-seat aircraft incorrectly entered the coordinates of the target before takeoff, which led to the accidental bombing.
Due to an apparent error, bombs were dropped over a village approximately 8 km from the target at the training ground, resulting in two people being seriously injured and eight buildings being damaged.
The official said authorities were checking whether the pilot had correctly followed procedures for verifying the entered coordinates.
Yes, the investigation will also check for possible errors in air traffic control, as the fighters deviated from the planned flight path due to incorrect target coordinates.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said the military would suspend all live-fire exercises until the exact cause of the accident was determined.
The Air Force apologized for the accidental bombing and promised to take "all necessary" response measures, including compensation for damages.
The accidental bombing occurred as South Korean and American troops were conducting combat exercises involving more than 160 pieces of military equipment, including tanks and fighter jets, at a training ground near the border with North Korea.
The exercises were designed to prepare for the major spring allied exercises, Freedom Shield, which will begin on March 10 and last for 11 days.
