July 19, 2008

Sun Myung Moon escapes death in helicopter crash

The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the controversial Unification Church, has been hurt as a helicopter he was in attempted an emergency landing in South Korea.

Moon, 88, was among several people on the aircraft when it made an emergency landing at Gapyeong, 25 miles east of Seoul.

News agencies quoted officials as saying Rev Moon's injuries were slight.

The casualties were taken to Cheongshim Hospital, which is owned by the Church, Yonhap news agency reported.

A police spokesman said that the helicopter had been carrying Rev Moon, his wife Han Hak-Ja, 11 relatives and three crew members when it ran into difficulties in heavy rain and came down on a hillside at Gapyeong, AFP news agency reported.

A 38-year-old woman on board was seriously injured as the helicopter burst into flames on landing, AFP said.

South Korea's CBS radio said Rev Moon and his wife were given MRI scans for possible back injuries and moved to a VIP room.

A spokesman for the South Korean transport ministry said that the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter had made the landing after encountering bad weather.

The Church, which is officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was founded in Seoul in 1954.

It has followers in about 200 countries, its officials say.

In April, Rev Moon's son, Hyung Jin Moon, 28, succeeded his father as the Church's most senior leader.