A Republic of Korea Army AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter crashed during training on Thursday, killing both crew members on board.
According to the Army, the helicopter from a battalion under the 15th Aviation Group took off from a base in Hyeon-ri, Jojong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province at 9:45 a.m. The aircraft crashed into a river approximately 800 meters from the base at 11:04 a.m. while conducting emergency procedure training—roughly one hour and 20 minutes after takeoff.
Emergency procedure training is a routine flight exercise in which pilots simulate abnormal situations and practice emergency landings without shutting down the engine. The exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
The two warrant officers aboard were transported to a nearby hospital in cardiac arrest but were later pronounced dead. Whether they will be officially recognized as having died in the line of duty will be determined through a subsequent review process.
The helicopter was unarmed at the time of the accident. No explosion or fire occurred, and no civilian casualties or property damage were reported. The crash site was only about 60 meters from residential homes, meaning a slight deviation in trajectory could have caused additional casualties.
Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek, currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, was briefed on the incident and instructed the Army to conduct swift and thorough accident response and follow-up measures.
The Army has established an accident response headquarters headed by the acting Army Chief of Staff for Logistics. A central accident investigation committee, chaired by the acting Aviation Commander, has been formed to determine the precise cause of the crash.
The Cobra helicopter is a signature attack aircraft that the Korean military has operated since the late 1970s. The AH-1S model involved in this crash was introduced in 1988. The 38-year-old aircraft was reportedly nearing retirement when the accident occurred.
The Army has suspended operations of all helicopters of the same model following the crash. This is the first Army helicopter crash since September 2022, when two Surion helicopters made emergency landings after falling from low altitude during maneuver training in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, injuring one person.
