Two Chinese military pilots killed in training exercises: Report

Beijing: A high-ranking tactical commander was among two Chinese military pilots killed during frontline flight training exercises last month, according to media reports on Friday.

China, which seldom discloses military fatalities, has not made any statement about the deaths, and it was not known if the pilots died in the same incident, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting regional government notices and local media reports.

One of the pilots, 38-year-old Fang Ming, was a senior colonel who served as a tactical commander under the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation unit, the Post reported, citing a Hefei Daily report.


Shi Shaoyong, 25, a first lieutenant in the PLA Navy, also died on June 10, and was from the Southern Theatre Command.

Shi died during a night flight training mission, according to an image of the inscription on his tombstone posted by the Yishui government on Saturday.

The inscription said Shi, who hailed from Yishui in the northern province of Shandong, was serving in Unit 91911, which also comes under the Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation division.

It was not clear whether they were on the same aircraft or the same mission.

Fang, of Lujiang County in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, enlisted in 2006.

Lujiang local government posted a video on Monday stating that Fang died while carrying out flight training on June 10.

Lujiang authorities hosted a memorial service for Fang on July 3, which was attended by more than 200 people, including personnel from his unit, according to the government video post.

It said the Political Work Department of the Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation unit recognised Fang - who was awarded a third-class merit in 2018 and a second-class merit for combat readiness and training in 2022 - as a "martyr."

"His aspiration was to defend our country's skies and seas. Whether in daily training or while carrying out operational missions, he always volunteered to take the lead," said Xia Yong, who used to work with Fang, according to the video post.

"He put the greater good before his own family, devoting all of his energy to safeguarding the nation's maritime defence," Xia said.

Shi enlisted in 2019, was a class IV pilot and had been awarded a third-class merit, local news outlet Linyi News said.

After graduating, he volunteered to work on the South China Sea front line, according to Linyi News. Shi was also recognised as a "martyr" at his memorial service.

There have been no official statements from Beijing or state media reports indicating the type of aircraft the two were in before their deaths.

Previous reports suggest the 91911 unit, which Shi served in, operates helicopters, the Post said.