Essential reading for air rescue professionals Issue 14 - March 2010
Issue 13 : Korean crash kills three
27 November 2009
In a tragic accident, three members of the Korean Forest Service were killed while out training with their helicopter. The men, crew chief Park and two deputies both named Lee, were practising scooping up water from a nearby lake when it is thought the helicopter hit the water. According to the rescue workers at the scene, the helicopter was found lying at a 70-degree angle, with only its tail remaining above water. Since it was a clear day, the local police believe that the crash may have been caused by either human error or mechanical failure. However, natural causes, such as a sudden gust of wind around the lake, have not been ruled out as a possible cause.
The helicopter that crashed into the lake was a Russian KA-32T, which was introduced to the Korean Forest Service in 1994. Throughout the country, there are 16 KA-32s in operation and used for fire-fighting missions; in 2001, one crashed while trying to put out a fire in Andong, North Gyeongsang.
