July 19, 2008
Rev. Moon and other passengers escape serious injury in helicopter crash
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon and eleven other passengers involved in a helicopter accident in South Korea Saturday afternoon were not seriously injured in the incident, according to church spokesman Dr. Chang Shik Yang.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-92, was on its way from Seoul, the South Korean capital, to the Cheon Jeong Goong Museum, located in Seorakmyeon, KaPyunggun. The helicopter left the Jamsil heliport at 4.40pm and ran into sudden inclement weather about twenty minutes later and made an emergency landing on a nearby hill.
All thirteen passengers and three crew members were taken to the nearby Chung Shim International Hospital. Two of the party suffered minor injuries. Ms. Jiseon Lim (30) is being treated for bruised vertebrae and Mr. Kibyeong Youn for light abrasions. Both are expected to make a full recovery, according to Yang. The crew and the other passengers, including Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, were treated and released and are resting and recuperating.
Shortly after all the passengers had safely exited the helicopter, it caught on fire and was destroyed.
Moon, now 88, has maintained a busy schedule of religious and charitable activities since returning to his homeland. The party was returning from a meeting with church leaders in Seoul when the accident occurred.