Four Pilots Dead After Two Philippine Air Force Planes Collide Mid-Air During Training

Four pilots were killed after two Philippine Air Force training aircraft collided mid-air and crashed at an air base south of Manila, prompting the military to ground its remaining aircraft of the same type pending an investigation.

The two SF-260 aircraft collided while flying at low altitude on Friday afternoon before crashing at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, in the coastal province of Batangas, Philippine officials said on Saturday. All four pilots aboard the two-seater planes died in the accident. No injuries were reported on the ground.

The Philippine Air Force described the incident as an accidental crash but did not immediately disclose further details. Two officials familiar with the incident said the aircraft had collided in flight. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

A witness told The Associated Press that one of the aircraft came down near military personnel barracks inside the air base, highlighting the potential danger posed by the crash to people on the ground.

Following the accident, the Air Force temporarily grounded all its remaining SF-260 aircraft, which were acquired from Italy. The military did not disclose how many of the aircraft remained in service or indicate when they might return to flight operations.

The crash represents another setback for the Philippine military, which has long struggled with limited funding and efforts to modernise its armed forces. The country has been attempting to strengthen its air force, navy and army while dealing with decades-long communist and Muslim insurgencies.

Its military modernisation efforts have also gained urgency amid increasingly tense territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea, where competing claims have fuelled friction between the Philippines and China.

The investigation into Friday's collision is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash and help determine what led to the deaths of the four pilots.