U.S. and South Korea Launch Joint Search for Korean War Aircraft Wreckage

The four-week survey aims to locate the remains of three U.S. aircraft that crashed off South Korea's northeastern coast during the conflict.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:56am

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The United States and South Korea have begun a joint investigation to locate the wreckage of at least three U.S. aircraft that crashed off South Korea's northeastern coast during the Korean War. The four-week survey in the Gangneung and Yangyang areas will collect materials and information from local residents, ahead of underwater investigations scheduled for August.

Why it matters

This joint effort between the U.S. and South Korea represents an ongoing commitment to recovering and identifying the remains of service members who went missing during the Korean War, which ended in 1953 with an armistice. Locating the wreckage of these aircraft could provide closure for the families of those who were lost.

The details

The survey is being conducted by the Pentagon's POW/MIA Accounting Agency and South Korea's Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification. They will collect materials and confirm the availability of medical decompression chamber facilities essential for the future underwater operations. The three aircraft crash sites include a transport plane that crashed on November 15, 1952 after departing Gangneung Air Base, a U.S. aircraft that crashed on February 21, 1952 near Yangyang County, and a transport plane that crashed on October 16, 1952 near Gangneung after a mechanical problem.

  • The joint survey began on April 6, 2026.
  • The underwater investigations are scheduled for August 2026.

The players

POW/MIA Accounting Agency

A Pentagon agency responsible for recovering and identifying the remains of U.S. service members who went missing during past conflicts.

Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification (MAKRI)

A South Korean government agency that works to recover and identify the remains of soldiers killed in action during the Korean War.

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Jordyn King

The deputy team leader of the Pentagon's DPAA investigation team in South Korea.

Lt. Col. Kim Seong-hwan

The acting head of MAKRI.

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What they’re saying

“'Since 2024, I have been coming to Korea for three years to work with MAKRI to find traces of the heroes who fought in the war. During the one month given to us, we will carefully gather materials so that we can achieve good results in the future underwater investigation.'”

— U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Jordyn King, Deputy team leader of the Pentagon's DPAA investigation team in South Korea

“'Just as we recover the remains of South Korean troops killed in action, we will spare no support in helping to find the war dead and missing of the U.S. military who helped us.'”

— Lt. Col. Kim Seong-hwan, Acting head of MAKRI

What’s next

The underwater investigations to locate the aircraft wreckage are scheduled for August 2026.

The takeaway

This joint U.S.-South Korea effort to recover the remains of service members missing from the Korean War reflects an ongoing commitment to providing closure for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The successful identification of the aircraft wreckage could lead to the recovery and repatriation of additional fallen heroes from the conflict.