Four pilots have died after two military planes collided during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in the Philippines.
The two SF-260 aircraft crashed at about 3.51pm on 23 October while flying low over the base, south of Manila. Both came down within the airfield’s perimeter and no one on the ground was injured.
Footage showed the aircraft flying alongside at least four other planes before they made contact. A burst of smoke followed the collision, with both aircraft rapidly losing altitude.
The Philippine Air Force said the crash was accidental. It has grounded its entire fleet of SF-260 aircraft as a precaution while investigators establish what happened.
In a statement, a military spokesperson said: “The Philippine Air Force [PAF] mourns the loss of four pilots in an aviation accident involving two SF-260 aircraft during a training flight at Fernando Air Base on October 23, 2026, at 3.51pm.”
“Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported,” the statement added. “An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, while all SF-260 aircraft have been temporarily grounded as a precautionary safety measure.”
The air force said it was supporting the pilots’ bereaved families and appealed for their privacy during the period of mourning.
