South Korea's air force has issued a formal public apology for a serious mid-air collision involving two of its F-15K fighter jets in 2021, following a damning state audit report which found that pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight, directly leading to the accident.
Audit Reveals Reckless Filming Caused Incident
The apology was delivered by an air force spokesperson in a press briefing, stating: "We sincerely apologise to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021." This statement came just one day after the state Board of Audit and Inspection released its detailed findings on the incident.
The audit board's report, published on Wednesday, concluded that unplanned and unauthorised manoeuvres executed purely for personal filming purposes were the definitive cause of the collision. The accident occurred during a formation flight near the city of Daegu in December 2021.
Sequence of Events Leading to Collision
Investigators detailed a specific chain of events. A wingman pilot, aiming to record images as a memento of his final flight with the unit, initiated a sharp climb and bank of his aircraft without obtaining proper clearance. This manoeuvre was performed to achieve a better camera angle for his personal recording.
Simultaneously, another pilot in the lead jet was also engaged in filming video. As the two aircraft closed in dangerously due to these uncontrolled movements, both crews attempted last-minute evasive action. However, it was too late; the wingman's tail struck the wing of the lead jet.
Miraculously, no injuries were reported from the collision, but the incident resulted in significant material damage. The repair costs were estimated at approximately 880 million won, equivalent to around $600,000.
Disciplinary Actions and Financial Penalties
The air force spokesperson confirmed that one of the pilots involved has faced severe consequences. The individual was suspended from flying duties, received a severe disciplinary reprimand, and has subsequently left military service.
The state audit board placed primary responsibility on the wingman pilot for initiating the dangerous manoeuvre. In a notable ruling, the board ordered this pilot to repay about one-tenth of the total repair costs incurred from the damage.
Furthermore, the auditors levelled criticism at the air force itself for maintaining excessively lax controls and regulations regarding in-flight filming and personal electronic device usage at the time of the accident.
Air Force Pledges Safety Overhaul
In response to the audit's findings, the air force has publicly committed to implementing stricter measures. Officials stated the service is taking concrete steps to tighten all flight safety rules comprehensively. The goal is to eliminate procedural gaps and prevent any recurrence of such an incident, which was fundamentally attributed to a breach of professional discipline for the sake of personal recording.
The case highlights the severe risks introduced when non-essential activities, like taking selfies, intrude on the high-stakes environment of military aviation, prompting a full review of operational protocols within the South Korean air force.
