Yak-310 aircraft wreckage in Yok Don National Park, Vietnam. - Photo: VNA/VNS
DAK LAK, (Vietnam): The wreckage of the Yak-130 military training aircraft that crashed on Wednesday (Nov 6) has been located in Yok Don National Park on Friday (Nov 8), two days after its pilots were forced to eject due to an in-flight emergency.
The discovery was confirmed on Friday by the chairman of the Buon Don District People’s Committee in Dak Lak Province.
The aircraft, belonging to the 940th Regiment of the Air Force Officer School, was on a training flight from Phu Cat Airport in Binh Dinh Province when its pilots reported encountering a problem that prevented them from landing safely.
After making three attempts to resolve the issue, they were forced to eject from the aircraft at an altitude of 600m as fuel ran low.
Both pilots landed safely in a forested area in Binh Dinh and were rescued hours later.
A massive search effort was launched involving over 550 personnel, 33 vehicles and an Mi-17 helicopter, covering the three provinces of Binh Dinh, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak.
The wreckage was finally located on Friday about 250km from Phu Cat Airport, following a report from a local villager who heard an unusual explosion in the woods.
A closer inspection revealed that the aircraft had suffered severe damage, particularly to its underside.
The still green leaves and branches surrounding it indicate there was only probably a small blaze or no fire at all.
Authorities in Krong Na Commune in Buon Don District had offered a reward of VNĐ10 million (approximately US$400) for information leading to the discovery of the aircraft. - Vietnam News/ANN
