Seoul, South KoreaReuters —
The South Korean Air Force apologized on Thursday for a mid-air collision involving two fighter jets in 2021, but a day after its auditors claimed the pilots took selfies and videos during the flight and held them responsible for the crash.
“We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the 2021 accident,” an Air Force spokesperson said at a press conference, adding that one of the pilots involved was suspended from flying operations, received severe disciplinary action, and has since been retired.
The apology follows a report released Wednesday by the National Board of Audit, which found that the crash between two F-15K jets during a formation flight near Daegu in December 2021 was caused by an unplanned maneuver for a personal photo shoot.
Auditors said the wing pilot attempted to record images to commemorate his final flight with the unit, spiking and tilting the plane without clearance for better camera angles, while another pilot shot video from the lead jet.
As the aircraft approached, both crews tried to take evasive action, but the tail of the wingman collided with the wing of the lead aircraft, causing approximately 880 million won (approximately $600,000) in damage. There were no injuries.
The audit committee placed the main responsibility on the wing pilot, but also criticized the Air Force for lax management of in-flight photography at the time, and ordered the pilot to repay about one-tenth of the repair costs.
The Air Force said it was tightening flight safety rules and taking steps to prevent the incident from happening again.
