Two Philippine Air Force Planes Collide in Training Flight, Killing All Four Pilots

Key summary

Philippine officials confirmed on Saturday that two SF-260 aircraft collided during a low-altitude training flight on Friday afternoon and crashed at Fernando Air Base in Lipa city, Batangas province. The collision occurred south of Manila, resulting in the deaths of all four pilots onboard. Witnesses reported that one of the two-seater planes descended near military barracks within the air base, but no ground injuries were reported. While the air force described the incident as an accidental crash without providing specific details, two anonymous officials stated the planes collided in flight. In response, the air force has temporarily grounded all remaining SF-260s acquired from Italy pending an investigation, though it did not disclose the total number of aircraft still in service. The accident is viewed as a setback for the underfunded Philippine military, which has long faced challenges modernizing its air force, navy, and army due to financial constraints, ongoing insurgencies, and territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.