Forest service helicopter said to crash

A helicopter belonging to the Korea Forest Service and carrying two people, the pilot and a repairman, apparently crashed yesterday near the east coast.

According to police, a forestry helicopter took off from Gangneung Aviation Management Center around 10 a.m. to patrol nearby forests as part of their forest fire prevention program but lost radio contact 33 minutes after take off.

The helicopter is believed to have crashed near the Sogeum River in Gangwon, where the center lost radio contact with the aircraft. Five helicopters and 33 rescue workers were mobilized to search for the missing helicopter and the two people on board - the pilot, surnamed Im, 49, and the repairman, surnamed Park, 56. A thick fog reportedly blanketed the region, hampering the search. “We have mobilized forestry helicopters to search for the missing aircraft and are currently holding an emergency meeting to come up with follow-up measures,” a forest service official said.

Since 2001, eight Korea Forest Service helicopters have crashed, killing 10 pilots.

By Yim Seung-hye [sharon@joongang.co.kr]

한글 관련 기사 [중앙일보]

강릉서 2명 탄 산림청 헬기 실종

5일 오전 11시32분 강원도 강릉시 연곡면 삼산리 소금강 계곡 인근에서 산림청 소속 AS350-B2 헬기 한 대가 실종돼 경찰과 소방 당국이 수색에 나섰다. 헬기에는 조종사 임모(49)씨와 정비사 박모(56)씨 등 2명이 탑승하고 있었다. 헬기는 이날 오전 10시7분 강릉 산림 항공관리소를 이륙해 비행하다 삼산리 백마봉 인근에서 연락이 두절됐다.