Helicopter crash kills firefighting pilot amid raging wildfires in South Korea

Published March 26th, 2025 - 06:23 GMT
helicopter in South Korea
A helicopter takes part in an operation to extinguish a wildfire in Uiseong, South Korea on March 24, 2025. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP)

ALBAWABA -  A South Korean firefighting pilot crashed to death while in his helicopter trying to combat ongoing and expanding wildfires in the country, CNN reported.

Authorities in South Korea stopped firefighting helicopters after the deadly crash on Wednesday. Workers are unable to combat the “unprecedented” wildfires that have ravaged southeast the country leading to the death of 19 people.

The fires also destroyed a centuries-old Buddhist temple and ruined a UNESCO-listed village, AFP reported.

The pilot was working to top fires in Uiseong County, located more than 200 kilometers southeast of the capital Seoul, according to officials. 

During the ongoing wildfires, 19 people were killed, including four civil servants, and 19 others were injured. The blaze was caused by the very dry air and strong winds.

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