Helicopter crashes on east coast of S Korea

SEOUL, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A South Korean helicopter appears to have crashed on the east coast of the country on Thursday, according to local media.

The helicopter, belonging to the Korea Forest Service, crashed at around 11:32 a.m. local time near the Sogeum River in the country's northern province of Gangwon. There were two pilots aboard when the accident took place, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency quoted local police as saying.

Rescue operation is underway as local police dispatched an emergency search team to the scene, reports said.