Mid-air collision of South Korean trainer jets kills three

South Korea’s air force said that two of its planes collided in midair and crashed on Friday, killing all four pilots on board. 

The two KT-1 aircrafts crashed into a mountain in the southeastern city of Sacheon.

Two people, a trainer pilot and an instructor, were aboard each of the two aircrafts.

3 people died and 1 was serious injured as two South Korean air force KT-1 trainer fighter jets collided and crashed in the city of Sacheon at about 1:36 pm local time on April 1, according to Yonhap News Agency. pic.twitter.com/711d74XNdS

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 1, 2022

"Despite their attempts at an emergency escape ... all of the two student pilots and two flight instructors aboard the two planes died," the air force said in a statement.

The air force added that it has formed a team to determine the cause of the accident and damage.

Over 30 firefighters and rescuers are conducting a search operation at the crash site, local media said.

Second South Korean air force crash this year

It comes nearly three months after a South Korean air force pilot died in January when his F-5E fighter jet crashed into a mountain in the city of Hwaseong.

The KT-1 is a single-engine basic trainer and light attack aircraft. It is built jointly by the state-run Agency for Defense Development and a contractor, Korea Aerospace Industries.