Rescue members work at a bomb accident website the place a South Korean fighter jet unintentionally dropped bombs on a civilian space throughout coaching, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday.
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Yonhap/AP
SEOUL, South Korea — Two South Korean fighter jets unintentionally dropped eight bombs on a civilian space throughout a joint live-fire train with the U.S. navy on Thursday, injuring eight individuals, officers mentioned.
The MK-82 bombs launched by the KF-16 fighter jets fell exterior a firing vary, the air power mentioned in a press release. It apologized and expressed hopes for a speedy restoration of the injured and mentioned it will provide compensation and take different vital steps.
The air power mentioned the fighter jets have been participating within the one-day firing drill with the U.S. navy in Pocheon, a metropolis near the closely armed border with North Korea.
The air power additionally mentioned a committee would examine the accident and look at the dimensions of the harm inflicted.
An unidentified air power official advised native reporters {that a} pilot of one of many KF-16s had entered incorrect coordinates for a bombing website. An unidentified Protection Ministry official advised reporters that additional investigation was wanted to find out why the second KF-16 additionally dropped bombs on a civilian space.
In a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Younger Hyeun referred to as the bombings “awful” and urged the navy to halt drills within the metropolis till it formulates dependable steps that may forestall a recurrence. He mentioned that Pocheon, a metropolis of 140,000 individuals, supplies three main firing ranges for the South Korean and U.S. militaries.
Park Seong-sook, a 70-year-old eyewitness who was not harm within the bombing, mentioned she thought “a war has broken out.”
“It was such a loud sound,” she mentioned, including that it left her trembling with worry.
The navy mentioned later Thursday it has determined to droop all live-fire drills throughout South Korea.
The accident got here simply earlier than the South Korean and U.S. militaries introduced they are going to start large-scale annual navy drills subsequent Monday.
It is unclear how lengthy the suspension of the live-fire coaching would final, however observers mentioned it will possible be till the navy determines the reason for Thursday’s accident and maps out preventative steps.
Pocheon’s catastrophe response division mentioned six civilians and two troopers have been injured and have been being handled at hospitals. 4 of the injured — all civilians — have been in severe situation, the division mentioned. Two of the severely injured are foreigners, one from Thailand and the opposite from Myanmar.
Three homes, a Catholic church and a greenhouse have been partially broken however they didn’t seem to have been instantly hit by the bombs, in response to the division.
