South Korean Troops Fire At Passenger Jet

[unreal.livejournal.com]

A passenger plane had a lucky escape after South Korean troops fired at it thinking it was a North Korean military jet.

Two marine corps soldiers spotted the plane - owned by a South Korean airline - flying close to the sea border with North Korea at 4am Friday morning.

The soldiers, both said to be 18, fired their rifles at the low-flying jet for 10 minutes but luckily the plane was out of their gun range.

The Asiana Airlines flight from China, carrying 119 passengers and crew, was making its descent to Incheon Airport in Seoul at the time.

Luckily the plane was flying out of range of the marine's machine guns

The soldiers believed the plane was flying outside the normal flight path but the airline said the plane never veered of course.

An Asiana Airlines official said: "We checked yesterday through the air force and the airport control centre to make sure there were no abnormalities such as being off course."

According to local reports, marine corps officers will now undergo thorough training on identifying civilian aircraft.

Source: skynews

Comments

[harbour-jane.livejournal.com]

why did they not get that training in the first place? that seems like it'd be marine corps 101

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

mte, that's quite an important thing to know; wouldn't surprise me if this wasn't the first time something like this has happened.

[hopeandmemory.livejournal.com]

it seems more like common sense, tbh. jumbo jets do not look at all the same as military planes. wth.

[harbour-jane.livejournal.com]

seriously. it's worrisome

[alchemywow.livejournal.com]

This is what happens when Kangin has a hangover....

In all seriousness, thank god no-one was hurt.

[hopeandmemory.livejournal.com]

well now i feel really safe flying into incheon in august. AS IF I DIDN'T ALREADY FUCKING HATE FLYING. :|||||

[alchemywow.livejournal.com]

Same here. I'm saving some Valium for the second leg, just in case :/

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

Not too much. I'm not dragging your unconscious arse all the way into Seoul

[alchemywow.livejournal.com]

I'll be happy, I'll be off my face on happiness. I'll be all sunshine and roses, mate.

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

I suppose I can always just load you onto a trolley, pin the address to your lapel, along with the fare, and park you at the taxi rank.

[alchemywow.livejournal.com]

I'm satisfied with this.

[hopeandmemory.livejournal.com]

i'm definitely going to need some drugs. there's no way i'll be able to sleep on a 14-hour overseas flight without them. especially if the army's going to shoot my plane down lmao.

[alchemywow.livejournal.com]

We've got a layover so I'm just planning on doping myself up in Dubai and hoping for the best. Or getting drunk. That's always an option :D

[cher-ex3.livejournal.com]

Flying to Incheon in August too :o

[embroideredkiss.livejournal.com]

Ikr? All my family are like, "LOL, still wanna go to Korea now?!"

[hibohabu.livejournal.com]

I thought it might've been youthful inexperience that led the soldiers to mistaking the passenger plane for a military one and thinking their rifles could reach it, but the last line isn't as reassuring. Still glad the shit fell short of the fan and tragedy was avoided, though. Damned right that training will be thorough.

[patapoufe.livejournal.com]

I'm calling bullshit. It seems more likely that two bored teenagers were joking around, deciding that shooting a plane might be fun and then lying through their teeth when commanding officers found out their guns were discharged. There's just no common sense with shooting a military aircraft with rifles lol.

[yingmoon26.livejournal.com]

WOW. are you kidding me?
and thinking they can shoot down a military jet with rifles...

that last line. uhhh shouldn't that be something they should ALREADY be trained in???

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

"Asiana Airlines flight"

How the hell do you mistake that for an enemy plane???

[cher-ex3.livejournal.com]

It's that damn airplane shape. Confuses the fuck out of me all the time.

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

just cracked up out loud XD

[anrixan.livejournal.com]

O_O YIKES. I always kind of figured identifying citizen planes would be the FIRST thing you would learn? "How to hold a gun, how to salute, how to identify the enemy..."

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

at least they were trained enough to know they should use their guns and not just throw rocks. They've evolved!!

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

Yikes. Ouch. This must be nasty for PR.

[kittycurious.livejournal.com]

What do you want to bet they were just bored?

[mrckdexter.livejournal.com]

Aside from the fact that they should have been able to identify a commercial airplane from a military one -

What idiot thinks they can take down an airplane with a rifle?

What idiot would continue to fire for 10 MINUTES?

My only conclusion is they must have been on some mind-altering drug. That, or they're dumb as rocks. In either case, I fear for the South Korean military...

[decimatedreams.livejournal.com]

...why would they even?