A Republic of Korea Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft crashed during a training exercise on May 29, 2025, near Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, resulting in the deaths of at least two of the four crew members on board.
The aircraft took off from Pohang Air Base at 13:45 local time and crashed approximately seven minutes later into a hillside near the base.
Emergency responders, including 40 firefighters and two helicopters, were dispatched to the crash site following reports of thick smoke and fire. Two bodies were recovered from the wreckage, while the status of the remaining two crew members remains unknown as search operations continue. No civilian casualties have been reported.
The crash site, located on a forested mountain near Sinjeong-ri, was engulfed in smoke, with visuals from local media showing the aftermath of the impact and fire.
The Republic of Korea Navy has launched a special task force, led by the vice chief of naval operations, to manage the situation and investigate the cause of the crash.
As a precaution, all training exercises and flight operations involving the P-3 fleet have been suspended until further notice.
The Lockheed P-3C Orion has been a key component of South Korea’s maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capability since its induction in 1995.
This incident comes just months after the Navy began transitioning to the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, with the first aircraft arriving at Pohang Naval Air Command in June 2024. Full operational deployment of the P-8A fleet is expected by mid-2025.
