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Two Taiwan Air Force pilots were killed after a T-34 trainer aircraft crashed in southern Taiwan, local media reported on Tuesday morning.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences for the two Air Force lieutenant colonels who were killed in the crash said a task force had been established to probe the cause of the accident and prevent similar tragedies, CNA reported. According to the country's Air Force, the aircraft, was being flown by Lt. Col. Lu Chi-yu and Lt. Col. Kuo Chun-nan on a simulated engine-failure training mission when the plane crashed near the northern end of the runway at 8:08 am (local time) at Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung, killing both pilots, Focus Taiwan news outlet reported. "I'm deeply saddened by this sudden tragedy. On behalf of the country, I would like to thank the two pilots for their sacrifices and contributions and extend my deepest condolences to their families," Lai told reporters in Taipei. Further, in a statement, Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said the task force would review the aircraft's mechanical condition, training procedures, and safety measures to ensure the safety of future exercises. AS per local media the Kuo, 46, was married and graduated from the Republic of China Air Force Academy in 2004. He had accumulated 2,172 flight hours in the T-34, the air force said. Meanwhile, Lu, 41, was married with a son and a daughter, and graduated from the academy in 2008. He had logged 2,114 flight hours in the T-34, it said. The US-made T-34C Mentor serves as the first aircraft flown by air force cadets before they advance to jet trainers and operational combat aircraft. In 2015, Taiwan saw one of the most visually documented crashes in aviation history when shortly after taking off from Songshan Airport, the ATR 72-600 turboprop suffered a malfunction in one engine. Local media had reported that as the aircraft plunged toward the Keelung River, its wing rolled at a near 90-degree angle, clipping a taxi and a highway viaduct barrier before crashing into the water. Dashcam footage from nearby cars captured the final seconds. Out of 58 people on board, 43 perished. In 2000, a Boeing 747-200 China Airlines flight broke apart mid-air over the Taiwan Strait, killing all 225 people on board. In 1998, an Airbus A300 crashed into a residential neighborhood near Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taoyuan International Airport) while attempting a go-around in heavy fog and rain. All 196 people on board and seven people on the ground were killed. (ANI)
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