Cobra Helicopter Crash: Army Declares Two Soldiers ‘Died in the Line of Duty’

The Army has designated the deaths of two warrant officers in the Cobra helicopter crash as “killed in action.”

Military sources reported on the 10th that the Army convened a preliminary review board of the Regular Military Casualty Assessment Committee, stating, “We honor the noble sacrifice of our fallen comrades.”

The Army expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pledged to provide all necessary honors and support.

The incident occurred around 11:04 AM on July 9, when an AH-1S Cobra helicopter from an Army aviation unit crashed into a nearby river during emergency procedure training in the Hyeon-ri area of Gapyeong County.

Both the main pilot, in his 50s, and the co-pilot, in his 30s, were rushed to a civilian hospital in cardiac arrest but were later pronounced dead.

The fallen soldiers will receive full military honors, with a memorial service scheduled for 8:30 AM on the 12th at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, to be officiated by the Army Chief of Staff.

Authorities confirmed that the crash did not result in any secondary explosions or fires, and no civilian casualties or property damage have been reported.

In response to the incident, the military has grounded all helicopters of the same model and established a task force led by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army Headquarters to investigate the cause of the crash.

Army spokesperson Col. Bae Seok-jin stated, “At this stage, it’s premature to attribute the cause to aircraft aging or human error.”