Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed after two trainer aircrafts crash in Batangas province

Two Philippine Air Force trainer aircraft crashed during a training flight at an air base south of the capital Manila, killing four pilots, the military said on Saturday.Army soldiers in southern Philippines on Sunday Sept 13, 2026. (representational image) ((AP Photo/ Froilan Gallardo))The aviation accident on Friday involved two SF-260 aircraft during a training flight at the Fernando Air Base in Batangas province, the Philippine Air Force said in a statement.ALSO READ: Miami plane crash: Why landing is one of aviation’s most dangerous phasesLocal media has reported the two planes collided in midair.The aircraft crashed within the grounds of the air base but there were no other casualties.The Air Force has temporarily grounded its fleet of SF-260 trainer planes pending an investigation into the cause of the accident.ALSO READ: 2 Indian students killed in Canada plane crash during flight training; consulate expresses griefIn May, two pilots were killed when an SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed in a mountainous area in northern Philippines, while another SF-260 TP Marchetti crashed during a 2023 training flight, also killing two pilots.The military used SF-260 aircraft during months of air strikes on southern Marawi City after militants loyal to Islamic State seized the area in 2017.