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Yeongju jet crash causes hillside fire, residents evacuated

Published: 25 Feb. 2026, 20:47 Updated: 25 Feb. 2026, 21:10

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

A fire from a crash site of an F-16C single-seat fighter jet assigned to the Air Force's base in Chungju during night flight training blazes in a mountainous area near Yeongju, North Gyeongsang. [GYEONGBUK FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS]

A fighter jet crashed in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang, at around 7:31 p.m. Wednesday, according to a notice released by the Air Force.

An F-16C, a single-seat fighter assigned to the Air Force's base in Chungju, crashed in a mountainous area near Yeongju during a night training flight.

The pilot ejected and was confirmed to be safe, according to the military. No civilian damage had been reported as of early assessments.

The Air Force set up a special task force led by the vice chief of staff to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Fire authorities are checking conditions at the site and working with related agencies to determine what happened.

This Nov. 3, 2025, file photo, provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shows a F-16 fighter jet of the U.S. Forces Korea taking off with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine aboard. [YONHAP]

A brush fire caused by the crash broke out over an area of roughly 660 square meters (0.16 acres), but there were no signs it would spread further, according to authorities. A provincial rescue unit and the Yeongju Fire Station were positioned near the site of the fire.

The jet came down on a hillside, igniting the fire. Firefighters began extinguishing efforts at the site immediately. The Yeongju city government also sent out an emergency text alert advising nearby residents and hikers to evacuate immediately to their village community center.

"Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, who is visiting Canada, received a report shortly after the crash and instructed officials to do everything possible to ensure the pilot’s safe recovery and to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident," the Ministry of Defense spokesperson’s office said.

Update, Feb. 25: Added details of crash.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]