South Korean fighter jets collide after pilots attempt mid-air photoshoot

Seoul. It has been revealed that two advanced fighter jets in South Korea collided due to the negligence of pilots attempting to take photos and videos while in flight. The incident, which occurred in 2021, has gained global attention following the recent release of a detailed investigation report by South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection.

It has been confirmed that the collision, which caused millions in damages, occurred while the pilots were violating regulations to take personal photos with their mobile phones during a military mission over the skies of Daegu. According to the incident report, one pilot had planned to take photos during the flight to make his final mission with his military unit memorable.

The report notes that he had even mentioned this during the pre-flight briefing. While returning from the flight, the pilot took out his personal mobile phone to take pictures, prompting the pilot of the lead aircraft ahead to have his co-pilot record a video of the trailing jet.

In an attempt to get a better shot, the pilot of the trailing wingman jet suddenly maneuvered his aircraft into an inverted position, bringing the two jets dangerously close. Despite the lead aircraft's attempt to descend rapidly to avoid a collision, the two F-15K jets ultimately struck each other.

The collision caused severe damage to the left wing of the lead aircraft and the tail section of the trailing aircraft. Although the pilots on board were safe, it cost the South Korean military 880 million won just to repair the aircraft. The Audit Board stated that such risky photo sessions were a widespread practice among pilots at the time.

Following the incident, the Air Force suspended the negligent pilot, who has since left the military to work for a commercial airline. Initially, the Air Force sought to recover the full repair cost of 880 million won from the pilot.

However, after the pilot appealed the fine, an investigation led the board to decide that he should pay only 10 percent of the total cost, amounting to 88 million won. The board concluded that there was also institutional failure, as senior pilots were aware of the photo-taking and the Air Force had failed to strictly enforce rules regarding camera usage. -BBC