Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-tae, "Doing Our Best to Prevent Further Damage"... Full Efforts to Manage Yangyang Helicopter Crash Incident

Provincial Fire Headquarters Confirms 5 Deaths Including Chief and Mechanics
Governor Kim: "Will Take All Measures to Identify Cause of Accident"

Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae is receiving an emergency briefing from the provincial fire department regarding the helicopter crash that occurred around 10:50 a.m. on the 27th in a mountain near Myeongjusa Temple in Eoseongjeon-ri, Hyeonbuk-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province. [Gangwon Province]

Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Province, visited the helicopter crash site in Yangyang, Gangwon Province on the 27th to oversee the accident response.

Before visiting the accident site, Governor Kim received an emergency briefing at the Fire Headquarters Situation Room and urged, "Relevant agencies must cooperate closely and do their best to manage the accident," adding, "Thoroughly prepare to prevent additional damage caused by strong winds, and take all possible measures that Gangwon Province can take, including identifying the cause of the accident."

The provincial fire headquarters is currently deploying about 140 personnel and 40 pieces of equipment to handle the accident response.

The fire authorities extinguished the fire that broke out in the fuselage immediately after the accident and recovered five bodies from the ashes.

Initially, it was estimated that two occupants, pilot A (71) and mechanic B (54), had died, but with the death toll confirmed at five, identification efforts are underway.

The helicopter was completely destroyed, mostly burned by fire, and with the firefighting operation nearly complete, the risk of the fire spreading to the forest is considered low.

The accident occurred around 10:50 a.m. near Myeongjusa Temple in Eoseongjeon-ri, Hyeonbuk-myeon, Yangyang-gun, when a helicopter leased and operated by Sokcho City for wildfire suppression crashed during a wildfire prevention broadcast.