SEOUL: A pilot in a firefighting helicopter crashed and died while battling a mountain blaze in the South Korean city of Daegu on Sunday (Apr 6), according to media reports.
The incident comes after the country experienced its worst wildfires on record last month, which killed 30 people and burned more than 48,000ha of forest, according to government data.
The helicopter, carrying only the pilot, “crashed while on a mission to extinguish a wildfire” on Sunday afternoon, Yonhap news agency reported.
Daegu Fire Department could not be reached for comment.
The incident marks the second death of a helicopter pilot mobilised for a firefighting mission in the past month.
Sunday’s wildfire – separate from the blazes in March – has been extinguished, Yonhap reported.
The wildfires last month were fuelled by strong winds and ultra-dry conditions, with the area experiencing below-average rainfall for months, following South Korea’s hottest year on record in 2024.
The blaze also destroyed several historic sites, including the Gounsa temple complex in Uiseong, which is believed to have been originally built in the 7th century.
