Four pilots killed as two military planes crash mid-air in Philippines

Four pilots have died after two military aircraft collided mid-air during a training exercise at an air base in the Philippines, the country’s air force has confirmed.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when two SF-260 single-propeller aircraft crashed within the grounds of Fernando Air Base, located south of the capital, Manila.

Philippine Air Force spokesman Colonel Alvin Capinguian said both planes came down inside the base’s perimeter, with no additional casualties recorded.

“Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported,” Capinguian said in a statement on Saturday.

An investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances that led to the crash. As a precaution, the air force has also temporarily grounded its fleet of SF-260 aircraft while the incident is being investigated.

The latest tragedy adds to a series of fatal accidents involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years.

In May, two military pilots were killed when another SF-260 aircraft crashed during a training mission in Benguet province in the northern part of the country.