April 5 (UPI) — A F-15K fighter jet with South Korea’s air force crashed Thursday, possibly killing two pilots on board.
The F-15K Slam Eagle crashed in the Yuhak mountain range in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, Yonhap reported Thursday.
According to the air force, the Boeing-manufactured fighter jet was returning from a mission when it fell from the sky.
The F-15K fighter, under South Korea’s Air Force 11th fighter Wing, crashed at 2:38 p.m., according to local television network SBS.
The crash occurred near Gasan golf course, but no civilian injuries were reported.
One local resident said he heard a loud “bang” at the time of the crash.
“I had gone to the mountains to forage for herbs,” the source told Yonhap. “Because of the mountains and fog I could not see the crash but I heard a loud bang and then four loud bangs afterward.”
A source at the nearby golf course said the noise was so loud it was believed to be an earthquake.
A steady stream of bangs could be heard for about 30 minutes, the source said.
Authorities have deployed a total of 600 firefighters, police and rescuers to the area to search for survivors.
The pilots on board were only identified by their surnames: Lts. Choi, 29, and Park, 27, both based at a South Korean air base in Daegu.
In 2016, a F-16D fighter jet crashed in South Korea but the two pilots on board survived the accident, according to Yonhap.
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