Kangnung - Seoul

Ten minutes after takeoff from Kangnung Airport, a passenger came into the cockpit and forced the pilots to divert to North Korea. After crossing the border between both Koreas, the airplane was escorted by three fighters and the crew was forced to land at Sondok Airport near Wonsan. Apparently, the landing was 'missed' and the airplane was severely damaged upon arrival. Nevertheless, none of the 52 occupants were injured but arrested and interned by the North Korean Authorities. Following negotiations with South Korea, 39 passengers were released and sent back to South Korea on 14 February 1970. But all four crew members and nine passengers plus the hijacker were not released. In 2018, the South Korean Government and the families still do not have any information about the fate of these 12 people listed here below: Yu Byeong-ha (<U+C720><U+BCD1><U+D558>, 38), pilot, Choe Seok-man (<U+CD5C><U+C11D><U+B9CC>, 37), copilot, Jeong Gyeong-suk (<U+C815><U+ACBD><U+C219>, 24), stewardess, Seong Gyeong-hui (<U+C131><U+ACBD><U+D76C>, 23), stewardess, Yi Dong-gi (<U+C774><U+B3D9><U+AE30>, 49), Director of a printing house, Hwang Won (<U+D669><U+C6D0>, 32), Director of the Munhwa audiovisual company, Gim Bongju (<U+AE40><U+BD09><U+C8FC>, 27), cameraman for Munhwa audiovisual company, Chae Heon-deok (<U+CC44><U+D5CC><U+B355>, 37), doctor, Im Cheol-su (<U+C784><U+CCA0><U+C218>, 49), office employee, Jang Ki-yeong (<U+C7A5><U+AE30><U+C601>, 40), businessman in the food industry, Choe Jeong-ung (<U+CD5C><U+C815><U+C6C5>, 28), employee for Hankook Slate.

Flight / Schedule

Kangnung - Seoul

Aircraft

NAMC YS-11

Registration

HL5208

MSN

2043

Year of Manufacture

1967

Operator

Korean Air

Date

December 11, 1969 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Wonsan Kangwon (<U+AC15><U+C6D0><U+B3C4>)

Region

Asia • North Korea

Crash Cause

Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Narrative Report

On December 11, 1969 at 12:00 AM, Kangnung - Seoul experienced a crash involving NAMC YS-11, operated by Korean Air, with the event recorded near Wonsan Kangwon (<U+AC15><U+C6D0><U+B3C4>).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

52 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 52 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 48, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. Ten minutes after takeoff from Kangnung Airport, a passenger came into the cockpit and forced the pilots to divert to North Korea. After crossing the border between both Koreas, the airplane was escorted by three fighters and the crew was forced to land at Sondok Airport near Wonsan. Apparently, the landing was 'missed' and the airplane was severely damaged upon arrival. Nevertheless, none of the 52 occupants were injured but arrested and interned by the North Korean Authorities. Following negotiations with South Korea, 39 passengers were released and sent back to South Korea on 14 February 1970. But all four crew members and nine passengers plus the hijacker were not released. In 2018, the South Korean Government and the families still do not have any information about the fate of these 12 people listed here below: Yu Byeong-ha (<U+C720><U+BCD1><U+D558>, 38), pilot, Choe Seok-man (<U+CD5C><U+C11D><U+B9CC>, 37), copilot, Jeong Gyeong-suk (<U+C815><U+ACBD><U+C219>, 24), stewardess, Seong Gyeong-hui (<U+C131><U+ACBD><U+D76C>, 23), stewardess, Yi Dong-gi (<U+C774><U+B3D9><U+AE30>, 49), Director of a printing house, Hwang Won (<U+D669><U+C6D0>, 32), Director of the Munhwa audiovisual company, Gim Bongju (<U+AE40><U+BD09><U+C8FC>, 27), cameraman for Munhwa audiovisual company, Chae Heon-deok (<U+CC44><U+D5CC><U+B355>, 37), doctor, Im Cheol-su (<U+C784><U+CCA0><U+C218>, 49), office employee, Jang Ki-yeong (<U+C7A5><U+AE30><U+C601>, 40), businessman in the food industry, Choe Jeong-ung (<U+CD5C><U+C815><U+C6C5>, 28), employee for Hankook Slate.

Aircraft reference details include registration HL5208, MSN 2043, year of manufacture 1967.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Ten minutes after takeoff from Kangnung Airport, a passenger came into the cockpit and forced the pilots to divert to North Korea. After crossing the border between both Koreas, the airplane was escorted by three fighters and the crew was forced to land at Sondok Airport near Wonsan. Apparently, the landing was 'missed' and the airplane was severely damaged upon arrival. Nevertheless, none of the 52 occupants were injured but arrested and interned by the North Korean Authorities. Following negotiations with South Korea, 39 passengers were released and sent back to South Korea on 14 February 1970. But all four crew members and nine passengers plus the hijacker were not released. In 2018, the South Korean Government and the families still do not have any information about the fate of these 12 people listed here below: Yu Byeong-ha (<U+C720><U+BCD1><U+D558>, 38), pilot, Choe Seok-man (<U+CD5C><U+C11D><U+B9CC>, 37), copilot, Jeong Gyeong-suk (<U+C815><U+ACBD><U+C219>, 24), stewardess, Seong Gyeong-hui (<U+C131><U+ACBD><U+D76C>, 23), stewardess, Yi Dong-gi (<U+C774><U+B3D9><U+AE30>, 49), Director of a printing house, Hwang Won (<U+D669><U+C6D0>, 32), Director of the Munhwa audiovisual company, Gim Bongju (<U+AE40><U+BD09><U+C8FC>, 27), cameraman for Munhwa audiovisual company, Chae Heon-deok (<U+CC44><U+D5CC><U+B355>, 37), doctor, Im Cheol-su (<U+C784><U+CCA0><U+C218>, 49), office employee, Jang Ki-yeong (<U+C7A5><U+AE30><U+C601>, 40), businessman in the food industry, Choe Jeong-ung (<U+CD5C><U+C815><U+C6C5>, 28), employee for Hankook Slate.

Cause: Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

48

Estimated Survivors

52

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 52

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Kangnung - Seoul

Operator

Korean Air

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Asia • North Korea

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

NAMC YS-11

Registration

HL5208

MSN

2043

Year of Manufacture

1967

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