January 27, 2003	Monday	Ziqa’ad 23,1423

SANGSINRI (South Korea) Jan 26: A US spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday about 80 kilometres from the heavily fortified border with North Korea, injuring four local people, military officials said.

The pilot, who was the only person on board the plane, survived by ejecting before the crash and suffered only minor injuries, US Air Force spokesman Staff Sergeant Andrew Leonhard told AFP.

However another air force spokeswoman said that four South Koreans on the ground were injured, prompting an apology from the US military.

“We are deeply sorry for this accident,” 7th Air Force base vice commander Brigadier General Mark Beesley said in a statement.

“We will make every effort to provide assistance for the individuals who were injured in this accident and take the necessary steps to ensure the claims process works quickly and effectively.”

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the casualties suffered only minor injuries and were expected to be released from hospital on Monday.

Leonhard said the U-2 spy plane was from the fifth reconnaissance squadron of the 7th Air Force and crashed about 3:00 pm near base headquarters at Osan.

The US base at Osan is just 77 kilometres from the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.

The South Korean military said the plane was all but destroyed after apparently hitting a road in Sangsinri, a rural town south of Seoul.

“I saw flames fuming out of the plane’s engine,” Kim Yong-Po said on KBS television.

“It hit the ground and exploded into a ball of flames. A roadside car repair shop was destroyed and a nearby house caught fire.”

The US military did not say why the plane crashed or its mission but said it was used for reconnaissance.

“The U-2 provides continuous day and night high-altitude all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance in direct support of US and allied air and ground forces,” Leonhard said.—AFP