Two Taiwanese F-5E fighter jets reportedly collided mid-air off eastern Taiwan on Monday leaving one of the pilots dead, while the other was missing, according to the National Rescue Command Center.
The two jets belonged to a team of four fighter jets which took off Monday afternoon for a training programme from a base in eastern Taiwan.
The two pilots were ejected from their aircraft after the reported collision.
Military helicopters and coastguard vessels were employed on a rescue mission in the area of the accident, about 1.4 nautical miles off a fishing port in Pingtung County.
According to the NRCC statement, one pilot was rescued from the sea late on Monday after he was found unconscious.
A broken pilot’s seat with a parachute was also found.
The pilot was later pronounced dead at a hospital in Taitung County.
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has instructed authorities to continue the search for the other pilot as well as to quickly investigate the cause of the accident.
Taiwan’s Air Force has grounded all F-5E fighters at the base, the state-run Central News Agency reported.
dpa/NAN.
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