News / Military

Two pilots killed in US army helicopter crash in South Korea

Tuesday, 24 November 2015 1:09 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 24 November 2015 1:10 AM ]

Firefighters search through debris of a crashed US helicopter, believed to be an AH-64 Apache, on a road in the city of Wonju, about 70 kilometres southeast of Seoul, on November 23, 2015 (Photo by AFP)

Two pilots have been killed in a US military helicopter crash on a mountain road in South Korea, police officials say.

According to a US military spokesman, the helicopter which is believed to be an AH-64 Apache, crashed in the city of Wonju, 70 kilometers (42 miles) southeast of Seoul on Monday evening.

The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the helicopter is presumed to have taken off from a US military base at Pyeongtaek south of Seoul and the cause of the crash as authorities reckon is that the copter may have hit high voltage power lines or a "steel tower," an electricity pylon.

"A power line was tangled up among the wreckage and the top part of the tower was damaged," the news agency said.

Following the crash, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Gillespie, the deputy commander of 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, said, "We offer our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the families of the soldiers involved in this tragic incident, our first priority is to provide their families with the support they need during this difficult time."

The crash caused no additional casualties on the ground or property damage, Yonhap reported.

The United States has more than 28,000 troops deployed in South Korea, which has remained technically at war with its neighbor since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

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