Gujranwala - Two pilots of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) embraced martyred when a trainer aircraft crashed in Gujranwala Cantt on Tuesday.
According to a spokesman, the incident occurred due to a technical fault in the aircraft when it was on a training flight. After a few minutes, engine of the aircraft caught fire and it crashed killing Major Ali and Captain Shujaat instantly. An inquiry board has been formed to probe the tragic incident.
Agencies add: The military said in a statement a “small two-seater Mushshak aircraft on a routine training flight crashed due to technical fault near Gujranwala,” 151 kilometres southeast of Islamabad. “Both the pilots embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”, it added.
According to ISPR, the plane ‘Mushak’ was on a training mission near Gujranwala.
The Pakistan army uses Mushshak aircraft to train pilots commissioned in its aviation wing.
The aircraft, which is manufactured indigenously, is a big source of export earnings for Pakistan and sold to several Middle Eastern countries.
The exact cost of the aircraft and number sold have not been made public.
The Mushak aircraft is a small aircraft which is not equipped with ejector seats.