Two Fighter Jets Collide Mid-Air After Pilot Selfie, Air Force Apologises

The South Korean Air Force has finally spoken out about a 2021 mid-air collision between two fighter jets, which has now been revealed to have been triggered by an undisciplined pilot taking selfie photos and recording videos during the flight. In an official statement, an air force spokesperson issued a public apology for the incident. “We sincerely apologise to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” the spokesperson said during a press conference. The apology came after South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection released the results of its latest investigation. The report stated that an unplanned manoeuvre for personal image capture was the primary cause of the collision between the two F-15K jets during a formation training exercise near Daegu in December 2021. According to the chronology, one of the wingman pilots attempted to capture the moment of his final flight with the unit by recording footage. He executed a sharp, unauthorised manoeuvre, climbing and banking the aircraft to obtain a better camera angle. Meanwhile, another pilot was also recording video from the lead aircraft. As the distance between the two jets narrowed, both crews attempted to evade each other. However, the tail section of the wingman’s aircraft still struck the wing of the lead jet, causing significant damage. Total losses from the incident reached approximately US$600,000. Fortunately, there were no injuries in the event. The audit board concluded that the wingman pilot was the party most responsible. Nevertheless, authorities also highlighted the air force’s weak oversight of image-capturing activities during flights at the time. As a consequence, the pilot was given a heavy sanction, including being suspended from flight duties and being required to pay approximately one-tenth of the total damage costs.