SEOUL — Five people were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in the eastern coastal county of Yangyang in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

Fire officials said that the chopper, an S-58T, crashed on a hill around 10:50 a.m. local time, while surveying the area against forest fires.

The helicopter was smashed to pieces and burst into flames, but the fire was unlikely to spread, as it has been mostly put out, they said.

The helicopter crashed near a Buddhist temple in the eastern coastal county of Yangyang on Sunday, fire officials said.

The five included the 71-year-old pilot and a 54-year-old mechanic, who were initially believed to be the only two people on board.

Rescue workers later found three more bodies — one of a person in their 20s and two women — at the site of the accident. Surveillance camera footage confirmed there were five people on board the chopper.

Identification of the victims was under way. The chopper was on lease by the local governments of Yangyang, Sokcho and Goseong. The helicopter was made by US helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky.

The fire authorities deployed one chopper, 28 pieces of equipment and 114 personnel, including first responders, to the scene.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instructed the Korea Forest Service and the local authorities to properly handle the aftermath of the accident and do everything to assist the victims' families.

He also called for strengthening oversight of safety rules to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents. — Agencies