Four military personnel killed in collision of two training aircraft in the Philippines

Mid-air collision south of Manila

Philippine military authorities reported the deaths of four pilots following a plane crash that occurred during a training flight. The incident took place on Friday at Fernando Air Base, located in Batangas province, south of the country's capital, Manila.

According to local media, two SF-260 training aircraft collided in mid-air. The aircraft crashed within the air base grounds. The Philippine Air Force stated that there were no other casualties resulting from this incident.

Flight suspension and previous incidents

In light of this tragedy, Air Force command has temporarily suspended the operation of the entire fleet of SF-260 training aircraft. Flights will only resume after the investigation into the causes of the crash is completed.

This is not the first case of military fatalities involving this type of aircraft. In May of this year, two pilots were killed when an SF-260 training plane crashed in mountainous terrain in northern Philippines. Another accident involving this model (TP Marchetti) occurred in 2023 during a training flight, also resulting in the deaths of two crew members.

Historical context of aircraft usage

SF-260 aircraft were actively used by the armed forces during the months-long operation in the city of Marawi in the southern part of the country. These airstrikes were directed against militants loyal to the "Islamic State" group, which seized the area in 2017.