South Korea's air force has apologised for a mid-air collision involving two F-15K fighter jets in December 2021. The accident occurred during a formation flight near Daegu, with one pilot attempting to record images and another filming video.
Audit findings revealed that the wingman pilot made unplanned manoeuvres to improve camera angles, causing the tail of his aircraft to strike the lead jet's wing, resulting in approximately 880 million won ($600,000) in damage.
The air force has suspended one pilot and taken disciplinary action, with the other pilot leaving the military. The incident highlights lax controls on in-flight filming at the time and a need for tightened flight safety rules to prevent similar incidents.
The air force is also taking steps to tighten flight safety rules and prevent a repeat of the incident.