What happened
During a flight departing from Gangneung destined for Seoul, an unauthorized individual entered the cockpit and seized control of the aircraft. The intruder demanded that the crew redirect the flight path toward North Korea.
As the plane approached the border, the flight crew attempted to maneuver the aircraft toward a beach to facilitate an emergency landing by reducing altitude. During this period, the hijacker removed the pin from a grenade, which subsequently detonated within the cockpit area. The explosion resulted in the deaths of both the co-pilot and the hijacker.
The captain, who sustained injuries during the incident, managed to guide the aircraft type toward a beach. The plane performed a crash-landing and came to a stop on the shore. While no fatalities were reported among the remaining passengers and crew, the impact resulted in 58 total injuries. The aircraft was determined to be a total loss due to damage sustained during the landing.
Findings
- An armed intruder entered the cockpit and attempted to divert the flight to North Korea.
- A grenade detonation occurred in the cockpit, causing fatalities among the crew.
- The aircraft suffered extensive structural damage during the emergency beach landing.