S. Korea sends military jet to typhoon-hit Saipan to transport nationals

The South Korean government sent a military transport plane to Saipan on Saturday to transport its nationals stranded by a powerful typhoon.

An Air Force official confirmed that a C-130 military transport plane flew to Saipan around 3:20 a.m., adding that the aircraft was scheduled to make a fuel stop in Guam before transporting South Koreans out of Saipan.

"The plane will carry stranded South Korean tourists and residents in Saipan to Guam," the official said. "We're planning to transport our nationals twice today, but things can change depending on the situation." 

A damaged structure is seen at Saipan International Airport after Super Typhoon Yutu hit the Northern Mariana Islands, US, October 25, 2018 in this image taken from social media. (Reuters)

Saipan's international airport has been closed since the western Pacific island was devastated by Super Typhoon Yutu on Wednesday. More than 1,800 South Korean tourists are believed to be trapped in Saipan.

Once they arrive in Guam on a military jet, they'll head back home using national air carriers.

It will take some time to transport all the South Korean tourists since the C-130 aircraft can only carry a maximum of 114 people, according to officials. The government said it is considering dispatching more military jets.

"Since there's a capacity limit, we'll first transport children, old people and pregnant women," a foreign ministry official said. (Yonhap)