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Navy holds memorial for four service members killed in plane crash

Published: 30 May. 2025, 21:15

Grieving family members weep in front of the portraits of the four victims of the Navy patrol aircraft crash at the joint memorial altar, set up at the Navy Air Command gymnasium in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30. [YONHAP]

A joint memorial altar was set up at the Naval Air Command gymnasium in Nam District, Pohang, North Gyeongsang, at 1 p.m. on Friday to honor the four service members killed in the crash of a Navy patrol aircraft the day before.

Displayed at the altar were the portraits of the victims — the pilot, co-pilot and two tactical officers — who were killed when a P-3CK aircraft crashed in the hills of southern Pohang on Thursday. Each was posthumously promoted by one rank: Lieutenant Colonel Park Jin-woo, the pilot; Major Lee Tae-hoon, the co-pilot; and Master Sergeants Yoon Dong-gyu and Kang Shin-won of the Navy's Tactical Command.

Though the portraits showed them smiling brightly, the atmosphere inside the gymnasium was somber. Just an hour after the altar was established, the memorial was already filled with uniformed officers from across the military branches, including the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps.

The Navy said the P-3CK patrol aircraft had taken off from Pohang Air Base at 1:43 p.m. on Thursday for a training session, but crashed into a hillside just six minutes later under unknown circumstances. All four crew members were found dead at the scene.

Grieving family members weep at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Navy patrol aircraft crash, set up at the Navy Air Command gymnasium in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30. [YONHAP]

As the memorial proceeded in a solemn silence, the quiet sobbing of family members, comrades and visitors filled the space. Some mourners sat motionless in mourning clothes, while others struggled to contain their grief, needing help to stand. A few service members collapsed in tears. Only small children, seemingly unaware of the tragedy, ran around the room.

“The memorial has seen a continuous stream of mourners since it was set up,” a Navy official said. “Despite the suddenness of the accident, the families have graciously received visitors amid their grief.”

The altar will remain open to the public for visitation. A formal memorial ceremony will be held at 8 a.m. on Sunday at the Navy Aviation Command auditorium, followed by an interment ceremony at the Daejeon National Cemetery at 4 p.m. the same day.

Meanwhile, military and police authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. Search operations are underway at the crash site to recover materials that could shed light on what went wrong, such as black box data and aircraft debris. However, officials say the extensive damage to the aircraft could delay efforts to determine the cause.

The Navy confirmed in a press briefing on Friday that the aircraft had maintained normal communication with air traffic control at Pohang Air Base until 1:48 p.m., just before the crash. Pilot Park reportedly stated that he was “entering the traffic pattern,” referring to the standard flight path around a runway.

Service members bow their heads in silent tribute at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Navy patrol aircraft crash, set up at the Navy Air Command gymnasium in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Fellow Navy service members grieve at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Navy patrol aircraft crash, set up at the Navy Air Command gymnasium in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30. [YONHAP]

Investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the site, which contains conversations between the pilot and co-pilot. Officials hope the CVR will be key to understanding the final moments before the crash.

Witnesses said the aircraft suddenly went into a near-vertical dive near a riding center adjacent to a 680-unit apartment complex. There is speculation that the pilots may have deliberately veered the plane away from the residential area to prevent civilian casualties, even foregoing further communication with the control tower in the final seconds.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]