Su-22 aircraft 'collided' in Binh Thuan airspace

Two Su22s are said to have collided during a training flight near Phu Quy Island, Binh Thuan, causing two pilots to parachute into the sea.

Su-22 fighter bomber in the sky of Vietnam - Photo: Thanh Nien

Mr. Nguyen Hung Tan - Chief of Office of Binh Thuan Flood and Storm Prevention Command said that at 11:35 on April 16, during a drill, a Su-22 squadron consisting of two aircraft 58-57; 58-63 of Air Division 370 collided in an area 8 nautical miles northwest of Phu Quy Island. The two pilots parachuted into the sea.

Upon receiving the news, the Binh Thuan provincial border guard force, consisting of 19 soldiers stationed in Phu Quy, went to the scene to search for the pilots and called on fishing boats at sea to join the search, but they have not been found yet.

A squadron of 2 Su-22M4s took off from Thanh Son, Phan Rang while practicing at sea in Binh Thuan and had an accident at noon on April 16.

These two Su-22M4 fighter bombers belong to Regiment 937, Division 320, specializing in protecting Truong Sa.

Initial information said that the pilots and two planes were practicing diving in the sea, when they were taking off, they collided and crashed in Binh Thuan province, about 6 nautical miles from Phu Quy island, near Hon Trung island.

Helicopters from the 917th Regiment flew to the scene and found the oil slick.

These two Su-22M4 fighter-bombers lost contact at 10:40. These planes were conducting training on a fixed route from Phan Rang.

According to Thanhnienonline