South Korean authorities have found that two fighter jets collided mid-air in 2021 because the pilots were taking pictures and videos. The incident took place while the jets were on a flight mission in the central city of Daegu, according to Seoul's Board of Audit and Inspection.
The pilots survived with no injuries, but the collision damaged the planes, costing the military 880 million won ($596,000; £440,500) in repairs. One of the pilots, who has since left the military, was made to pay a fine of 88 million won.
The incident occurred as a pilot sought to take photos to commemorate his last flight with his military unit. Taking photos of significant flights was a widespread practice among pilots at the time, the audit board said in a report published on Wednesday. The pilot had declared his intent to do so in a briefing prior to the flight.
While flying as the wingman, he began taking pictures using his personal mobile phone. Noticing this, the lead pilot requested another pilot to record a video. The wingman then abruptly ascended and maneuvered his jet for better visuals, bringing the jets dangerously close, resulting in the collision when the lead aircraft attempted to avoid the crash.
Following the incident, the South Korean air force suspended the wingman pilot. Initially, he faced a significant fine intended to cover repair costs, but after appealing, the audit board found that he should only pay a tenth of the amount due to the air force's failure to regulate personal camera use effectively.
The board acknowledged the wingman pilot's prior good record and his successful management of a safe landing after the collision. The report concluded without details on any action against other involved pilots.
