Firefighting Helicopter Crashes in Gwangju; 5 Firefighters Die in Line of Duty While Returning from Sewol Operations

On July 17, 2014, a firefighting helicopter returning to base after completing a mission to search for missing victims of the Sewol ferry disaster crashed in Gwangju, killing all five firefighters on board.

The helicopter belonging to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters reported its return due to worsening weather at 10:25 a.m. and took off at 10:49 a.m. Just five minutes after takeoff, at around 10:54 a.m., it crashed into a grassy field next to a bus stop in front of an apartment complex, catching fire and sustaining heavy damage. While the crash site was a densely populated area with high-rise apartments, middle and high schools, and commercial buildings, there were no civilian casualties.

It is believed that the pilots maintained control of the aircraft until the very last moment. Five officers lost their lives in the accident: Fire Inspector Jeong Seong-cheol, Fire Lieutenant Park In-don, Fire Sergeant An Byeong-guk, Fire Captain Shin Yeong-ryong, and Fire Sergeant Lee Eun-gyo.

On July 16, 2024, a memorial service marking the 12th anniversary of the firefighters' sacrifice was held at the riverside park in Pungamjeongcheon, Gwangju.