2 Airmen Killed in Reconnaissance Plane Crash

An Air Force reconnaissance aircraft crashed into a mountain Friday in the country`s southwestern region, killing the two crew members onboard.

The RF-4C plane went down in a training flight around 12:30 p.m. near the rural town of Imsil, North Jeolla Province, after taking off in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, at 11:50 a.m.

Rescuers found the remains of the two crewmen`s bodies at the crash site. “They must have failed to eject before the crash,” an official said.

The Air Force`s investigation will probe potential airframe flaws.

This version of the RF-4C jet was produced by the U.S. in November 1966 and introduced to Korea in September 1990.

Friday`s accident was the second involving the RF-4C in recent years. In April 2008, one crashed on a training mission.

The Korean Air force has some 20 RF-4C aircraft.

polaris@donga.com