Two stunt planes collided in midair on Sunday during an air show in the Portuguese city of Beja. According to the Portuguese Air Force (PAF), one of them crashed and exploded into flames, resulting in the killing of a Spanish pilot.
The PAF, which organised the show at an air base in Beja, 180 km south of Lisbon, said the accident involved aircraft from the YAK STARS aerobatic patrol. The patrol includes Portuguese and Spanish pilots and was described by the PAF as the "largest civilian aerobatic team in southern Europe".
VIDEO: Spanish pilot dies after planes collide mid-air
Air Force captain Patricia Fernandes told broadcaster RTP that "one of the pilots, with Spanish nationality, died and another pilot was injured". After the accident, the PAF decided to cancel the Beja AirShow, Portugal's biggest air festival.
10 killed in similar incident
Earlier in April, at least ten people were killed after two helicopters collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) parade. All 10 were crew members aboard the aircraft involved in the accident, which occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9.32 a.m., said the navy. A preliminary report previously said the two aircraft left Padang Sitiawan at approximately 9.03 am before colliding, with the AW139 crashing onto the steps of the stadium of the Lumut base while the Fennec fell into the swimming pool of the base's sports complex.
