2 pilots killed as Pak Air Force jet crashes during training

Two Pakistan Air Force pilots were killed today when their training jet crashed at a Peshawar airbase during a routine mission, the second crash in recent weeks.

The China-made FT-7PG training aircraft was on a routine operational training mission when it suffered the mishap, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said in statement.

Initially it was said there was no loss of life, but later PAF officials said the pilot and the co-pilot were killed in the accident.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known and the air force has announced a probe to ascertain it.

However, according to media reports, the plane crashed due to a technical fault.

Smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the Bacha Khan International Airport and an emergency was declared at the airport after the incident.

PAF has suffered several crashes of its aircraft during training in the past.

Earlier this month, a paramilitary soldier was killed when an army helicopter crash landed in suburbs of Quetta, capital of Balochistan province.

A training plane of armed forces crashed last month in Lahore and the two pilots were injured.