The helicopter crashed while on a mission to extinguish a forest fire in Uiseong District, more than 200 km southeast of Seoul. The pilot, the only person on board the helicopter, was confirmed dead.
According to a report released by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Safety (MOIS), at least 19 people have died and 19 others were injured in a forest fire in South Korea. Among the dead were 4 civil servants sent to fight the forest fire.
The 1,300-year-old Gounsa pagoda in Uiseong district - an important Buddhist relic - was burned down, leaving only the ceremonial bell intact.
Some artifacts at this historical site, including a stone Buddha statue recognized by the state as a treasure, were transferred to other pagodas before the fire broke out.
More than 10,000 firefighters, police and civilian personnel have been deployed to many areas in southern South Korea since dozens of fires broke out last weekend.
As of March 26, the fire had burned down an area of over 17,398 hectares. Prime Minister and acting President of South Korea Han Duck Soo said this was the worst fire South Korea has experienced in recent years and caused unprecedented damage.
Authorities in Andong and other areas ordered people to evacuate on 25 March due to strong winds and dry air hindering efforts to control the fires. As of March 26, 68% of fires in Uiseong and Andong had been brought under control.
Forest fires broke out on March 21 after a stream of fire from a grass cutter caught fire in Sancheong, Gyeongsang Nam Province, about 300 km south of Seoul.
The South Korean government declared a state of emergency for Ulsan city, South and North Gyeongsang province on March 22. The Korean Forestry Service raised the forest fire warning to a national high on March 25, calling on local governments to allocate more resources for emergency response and tighten restrictions on access to forests and parks.
As of March 26, forest fires are still occurring in some areas of North Gyeongsang, Gyeongsang Nam and Ulsan city.
Forest fires typically occur in South Korea in February, March and April when the weather is driest. However, this year the situation is particularly bad with 244 reported forest fires, 2.4 times higher than the same period last year.
