A firefighting helicopter has crashed into the sea near Korea's easternmost island of Dokdo less than three minutes after taking off, leaving several people missing.
According to the National Fire Agency,… an emergency helicopter, which was carrying seven people including a patient,… crashed on Thursday night at around 11:30PM, Korea time.
Authorities immediately dispatched naval patrol boats and aircraft to the site for a search and rescue mission.
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon also ordered full efforts to find survivors.
Winds around Dokdo were thought to have been blowing at around 10-to-12-meter a second at the time of the accident.