3 dead after 2 South Korean air force planes collide and crash

Two South Korean air force planes collided in mid-air during training on Friday and crashed into a mountain in the southeastern city of Sacheon, killing three people and injuring one, emergency officials said.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity citing department rules, said they did not receive any reports of civilian casualties or damage on the ground.

Three helicopters, 20 vehicles and dozens of emergency workers were dispatched to the scene, officials said.

The air force confirmed the collision of two KT-1 trainer aircraft. But an air force statement said it was trying to confirm the reported casualties and whether pilots on the aircraft tried to eject to safety. It said the KT-1 aircraft is a two-seat plane.

The cause of the collision wasn’t immediately known.