A P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft of the Republic of Korea Navy crashed on May 29, 2025, during a training exercise near Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.
At least two of the four crew members were killed in the accident. The aircraft took off from Pohang Air Base at 13:45 p.m. local time and crashed into a mountainside near the base about seven minutes later.
Rescue workers in action – fate of other crew members unclear
Following reports of thick smoke and fire, rescue personnel were immediately dispatched to the crash site, including 40 firefighters and two helicopters. Two bodies were recovered from the wreckage, while the whereabouts of the other two crew members are currently unknown. Search operations are ongoing. No civilian casualties have been reported. The crash site, a wooded mountainside near Sinjeong-ri, was shrouded in plumes of smoke. Local media footage showed the aftermath of the impact and subsequent fire.
The Republic of Korea Navy has established a special task force under the command of the Vice Chief of Naval Operations to manage the situation and investigate the cause of the crash. As a precautionary measure, all training exercises and flight operations involving the entire P-3 fleet have been suspended until further notice.
P-3C Orion has been a cornerstone of maritime surveillance for decades
The Lockheed P-3C Orion has been a vital component of South Korea's maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities since its entry into service in 1995. The accident occurred just months after the Navy began transitioning to the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. The first of these new aircraft arrived at the Pohang Naval Air Station in June 2024. Full operational capability of the P-8A fleet is expected by mid-2025.
The P-3 Orion, based on the Lockheed L-188 Electra civilian airliner, has established itself worldwide as a reliable maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. South Korea has operated a fleet of P-3 variants since the 1990s. It remains to be determined whether the crash was due to a technical defect, human error, or other factors. The suspension of flight operations of the remaining P-3 fleet indicates that the naval leadership does not want to jump to conclusions and wants to await the results of the investigation to ensure the safety of flight operations. The loss of two crew members and the possible loss of other comrades represents a severe blow to the South Korean Navy.
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