On Saturday 119 Passengers en route from Chengdu, China, to Inchon, South Korea, may have been unaware of rifle fire from a pair of South Korean soldiers stationed on Gyodong Island, which is directlly off the west coast of Korea and close to the still disputed demilitarized zone and border between North and South Korea. The fire unleashed
from hand-held K2 rifles fell short by about half a kilometer because the passenger plane was somewhat out of range, so the passengers were never endangered.
The Asiana Airlines Flight was on course according to some reports, slightly north of course in other others; but in either case, flying over the Island of Jumun. The soldiers wielding the rifles believed the plane to be a North Korean military aircraft. The soldiers’ fire continued for about 10 minutes, dozens of rounds were discharged. The undamaged plane was in a descent and preparing to land at Inchon.
Tensions between North and South Korea have been more strained than usual in the past two years. South Korea has taken part in military maneuvers seen as threatening by North Korea, which has taken deadly action in response. China, too, has entered a more confrontational phase, as China seeks to take control of the South China Sea, near Vietnam and the Philippine Islands.
Diplomatic reaction to the rifle shots is anticipated soon, and the soldiers involved may be subject to discipline.
(Authors note: The soldier in the photo was not involved in the mistaken rifle fire)
Article comments
1 - Cannonshop
Damn, I thought we trained them better than that-they missed an airliner.
Even worse, of course, is mistaking an airliner for a military jet. Asiana flies mostly Airbus and Boeing, neither of which resemble (even at a distance) the sort of designs (mostly Ilyusin or MiG) that the PRK uses for airstrikes or photo-recon.
Okay, joking aside, this is a symptom of a serious problem-the PRK has shelled an island (recently) without drawing a military response. The kids on the border are probably keyed up nine ways to sunday off that, and stress makes you see shit that you dont' really see.
2 - John Lake
Agree, they could be keyed up.
The airliner was most probably on a regular flight path. Hmmm.
3 - Glenn Contrarian
Man - and I mostly prefer Asiana! Best service of any airline I've ever used. My wife just returned last week on an Asiana flight!
But I'm not surprised that they missed - the aircraft was near the end of the firearms' range, and small-arms fire is generally not considered much of a real threat.