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Crew killed as Korean helicopter hits sculpture. |
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Three South Korean soldiers were killed on Tuesday, 29 May 2001, when their helicopter struck a sculpture it was installing on a bridge across the Han River. |
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The CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopter was placing the torch sculpture on the bridge's central tower when its rotors hit the sculpture and the tower. The helicopter rotors became caught up in a torch-shape decoration being erected to commemorate the 1988 Olympic Games. The helicopter snapped into two. One half fell on to the bridge span and the other into the river. |
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Han Young-hun, an army spokesman, said: "We have discovered two bodies and have confirmed that the pilot's body is trapped in the helicopter that sank to the river bottom." No other casualties were reported. The bridge had been closed for the installation work. |
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The dead were identified as Warrant Officer Chun Hong-yop, the pilot, Warrant Officer Nam In-ho, the co-pilot, and Sgt 1st Class Kim Woo-soo, a crewman. Army scuba divers were working to recover the wreckage from the Han River, which runs through the South Korean capital. About two dozen bridges cross the river. |
