KHÁNH HÒA — Two trainee pilots were killed when their military aircraft crashed in the central province of Khánh Hòa on Friday morning, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The pilots have been identified as Captain Lê Xuân Trường, Chief of Staff of 1st Squadron, Regiment 920; and Sergeant Đào Văn Long.

Trường was pronounced dead at the scene and Long died on the way to hospital.

Part of the crashed plane found in Chân Đập Suối Dàu, Nha Trang City in Khánh Hòa Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

The plane crash occurred at 9.10am. Rescue operations were underway immediately and the plane was found around Chân Đập Suối Dàu, Nha Trang City, Khánh Hòa Province.

The plane was operated by Regiment 920, the Air Force Officer’s College at the Air Defence and Air Force, under the Ministry of Defence.   

The pilots were on the training flight. After completing the flight, on the way back, the plane lost contact.

The Ministry of Defence has directed relevant agencies to coordinate with the Air Defence and Air Force to investigate the cause of the incident and assist the two pilots’ families.

The plane, a Yakovlev YAK-52, is a Soviet primary training aircraft which first flew in 1976. It was produced in Romania from 1977 to 1998 by Aerostar S.A.

On July, 2018, two Vietnamese pilots were killed when their military aircraft crashed in the central province of Nghệ An. — VNS