Aviation
Deadly mid-air collision: Four pilots killed as two military aircraft crash in Philippines
Manila/IBNS: Four pilots were killed after two military aircraft collided mid-air during a training session at an air base in the Philippines on Friday, media reports said.
The Philippine Air Force confirmed on Saturday that the two SF-260 single-propeller aircraft crashed at Fernando Air Base, south of Manila.
"Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported," Philippine Air Force spokesperson Colonel Alvin Capinguian said in a statement, as quoted by NDTV.
Probe launched into crash
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the mid-air collision.
As a precautionary measure, the Philippine Air Force has grounded its fleet of SF-260 aircraft following the incident.
Philippine Air Force planes FLY DANGEROUSLY CLOSE before COLLIDING MID-AIR — BOTH SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL & CRASH during TRAINING 4 AIR FORCE PILOTS KILLED https://t.co/fgqEdxJNM3
— RT (@RT_com) October 24, 2026
Similar crash reported in May
In May this year, two pilots were killed when another SF-260 aircraft crashed during a training session in Benguet province in the northern Philippines.
The latest incident has renewed attention on the safety of military training flights in the country.
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