A South Korean Army helicopter was destroyed by fire at an airfield after a collision with a drone during landing.

This was reported by The Korea Herald.

According to the Army Ground Operations Command, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on March 17, 2025, a military drone collided with a parked helicopter during landing at a military airfield in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, causing a fire.

No injuries were reported, and the fire was extinguished within about 20 minutes. The cause of the incident and the full extent of the damage are still under investigation, but the army has ruled out any involvement by North Korea.

According to the report, the accident destroyed a KUH-1 Surion helicopter and an Israeli-made Heron reconnaissance drone.

The helicopter was fully fueled at the time of the accident, leading to the total loss of both aircraft in the fire.

The incident occurred in the 209th Aviation Battalion of the 11th Aviation Group of the 1st Corps, which was established in 2018. Initially, the 11th Aviation Group operated only KUH-1 helicopters but later expanded to include UAVs.

According to The Korea Herald, the Heron has been involved in similar incidents during landing in 2018 and 2024. The military had previously ruled out external interference in those cases as well. However, given these past incidents, questions remain as to whether adequate security checks were conducted before deploying the drone.

Shortly before this incident, on March 6, 2025, South Korean fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight 230-kilogram bombs on a populated area.

At approximately 10:00 a.m., South Korean Air Force KF-16 fighters, participating in joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, accidentally dropped eight Mk82 bombs outside a designated training ground, striking the city of Pocheon.

Seven buildings were damaged in the strike, including a church. Four people sustained serious injuries, while three others suffered minor wounds.

According to The Korea Herald, an investigation determined that the incident was caused by pilot error. The pilots had entered incorrect coordinates and failed to follow in-flight verification procedures. Both pilots have been charged by the military prosecutor’s office with professional negligence resulting in injuries.