Two military aircraft of the Philippines Air Force collided midair during a training exercise, leaving at least four pilots dead, said officials on Saturday. The midair collision took place on Friday at the Fernando Air Base in the Batangas province of the country.
Several videos have gone viral on social media showing the exact moment when the two aircraft collided and went down, triggering panic among the people in the area.
In a statement, the Philippines Air Force (PAF) said the accident involved two SF-260 aircraft, adding that they went down within the base perimeter and no other casualties were reported. It said an investigation would be conducted to find what led to the midair collision and action will be taken accordingly.
“An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, while all SF-260 aircraft have been temporarily grounded as a precautionary safety measure,” the Philippines Air Force said in a press statement, without naming the four pilots who lost their lives.
“The PAF honors the service and sacrifice of our fallen aviators and is coordinating with their bereaved families to provide necessary assistance. At the families’ request, we respectfully appeal to the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time,” the statement read.
There have been a number of deadly crashes involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years. In May, two military pilots lost their lives after a SF-260 plane crashed during a training exercise in the Benguet province. The pilots were identified as First Lieutenant Ruth Angelique R Pasos (an instructor) and Second Lieutenant Cherky E Embudo.
“Their courage, dedication, and commitment to duty will always be remembered by the Philippine Air Force and the nation they faithfully served,” the air force had said in a statement, paying tributes to the deceased pilots.
They were heading towards Baguio from the Fernando Air Base when their aircraft met with an accident in the Cabuyao area of Tuba municipality. Later, a probe was launched, but investigators failed to find a definitive cause that could have led to the fatal accident. But after the accident, the Philippines Air Force had grounded of its 16 SF-260 aircraft as a precautionary measure.
ALSO READ:
Pakistan Army training aircraft crashes near Quetta, two pilots killed