Missing Yak-130 military aircraft found after two-day search
The Yak-130 military aircraft that went missing after a crash on Wednesday has been located in the forested area of Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands, following a two-day search.
The aircraft was found around 2:30 p.m. on Friday in the Yok Don National Park of Ea Sup District, around 250 km from Phu Cat Airport in Binh Dinh Province, where it had taken off for a training session.
A view of a Yak-130 aircraft in the Yok Don National Park in Vietnam's Central Highlands, Nov. 8, 2024. |
The aircraft's location is heavily obscured by dense trees, and authorities noted that the surrounding vegetation remained relatively fresh, suggesting that the plane may not have caught fire upon impact.
The Yak-130, a training jet, had departed Phu Cat Airport on Wednesday morning for a routine training flight.
Shortly after completing the training exercise, the pilots encountered technical difficulties. The crew of two received approval to be ejected, parachuting to the ground in the Ham Ho forest area of Binh Dinh Province.
Both pilots, Nguyen Van Son and Nguyen Hong Quan, were safely rescued about 10 hours later.
Over the past two days, a massive search effort was launched to locate the missing aircraft, involving more than 550 personnel, 33 vehicles and an aircraft. The search covered several provinces, including Binh Dinh, Gia Lai and Dak Lak.
Yok Don National Park, where the aircraft was found, spans 115,500 ha and is home to Vietnam's only dipterocarp forest. It boasts a rich and diverse ecosystem.
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