Two F-16s from the South Korean Air Force dropped bombs in the wrong location on Thursday. Apparently, one of the pilots entered the wrong coordinates.
The fighter jets were conducting a military exercise near the city of Pocheon, about forty kilometers northeast of Seoul. According to one resident, there was ‘suddenly a loud roar from a jet’ followed by an explosion. In total, eight Mk82 bombs fell on the neighbourhood. The bombing injured fifteen people, two of them seriously. The explosions caused damage to several houses and a church. Security cameras captured the moment the projectiles landed in the neighborhood. The South Korean Air Force issued a statement apologising for the rare accident and wishing the victims a speedy recovery.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the accident was due to a pilot entering incorrect coordinates into the system. The original dropping grounds for the Mk82 bombs was a nearby training complex. Both F-16s were carrying four projectiles. The source confirmed that all bombs exploded. Although other ‘live-fire’ exercises have been suspended as a result of the incident, it will not affect an upcoming exercise with the U.S. Air Force. Local residents have been protesting for years against the nearby training grounds because of the potential danger. The mayor of Pocheon urged the government and the military to take measures to prevent further and future damage.
P-3 Orion
This is not the first time a South Korean fighter jet has accidentally dropped its payload. In 2017, a Navy P-3CK Orion lost several projectiles in the Sea of Japan. The co-pilot unintentionally pressed the emergency button, which released the weapons. The aircraft lost two Harpoon missiles, two torpedoes, and two depth charges. The intention was to press the button that would release a buoy to detect sound waves from submarines. They did not explode as the weapons carried no armament.