Military aircraft crashes in Quảng Nam Province, pilot safely escapes

At the scene of the crash. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — A military aircraft experienced a sudden crash in the vicinity of the central province Quảng Nam early Tuesday morning.

Initial reports indicate property damage but no human casualties.

Colonel Hoàng Trung Kiên, the Political Commissar of Division 372 (Air Defence – Air Force Unit of the Ministry of National Defence), told the Vietnam News Agency that the pilot parachuted and escaped the plane before it crashed.

The aircraft, identified as a SU-22 with the designation number 80 of Regiment E929F372 from the Air Defence – Air Force base in Đà Nẵng City, was piloted by Captain Đỗ Tiến Đức (born in 1988) during a routine training flight.

Preliminary findings suggest the incident was caused by a loss of control.

Around 11am on January 9, the Su-22 aircraft crashed in the Bình Ninh street block (Điện Bàn Town) while conducting a training flight. The aircraft’s front and back parts fell approximately 200m apart at the crash site.

The pilot made efforts to take the plane away from residential areas and ejected at a position 19km south of the runway in Điện Nam Trung Commune, Điện Bàn Town, Quảng Nam Province, according to the report from the Ministry of Defence.

Debris scattered in the area, causing damage to a nearby house, with a resident nearby sustaining minor injuries from flying debris.

The injured individual is currently receiving treatment at Vĩnh Đức General Hospital.

Emergency services, including fire trucks, fire police, ambulances, and competent forces, responded promptly to the scene.

Presently, authorities are conducting an investigation to determine the root cause of the incident. — VNS