The Indonesian Air Force has confirmed that four service personnel were killed when two Embraer 314 Super Tucano aircraft crashed in the Keduwung area, Pasuruan.
According to a statement from the Indonesian Air Force the two attack aircraft from the 21st Air Squadron crashed separately after carrying out a “proficiency formation flight mission”.
The two Embraer Super Tucanos took off from Abd Air Base on November 16, 2023, at 10.51 am local time, but contact with the planes was lost around 30 minutes later. The air force added that “sounds were heard from both aircraft at different times:”.
The victims have been named as Lieutenant Colonel Sandhra Gunawan, Colonel Widiono Hadiwijaya, Major Yuda Anggara Seta and Colonel Subhan.
Local residents first alerted the air force to the crashes and rescue teams were deployed to the area to locate the aircraft. The bodies of the service personnel were taken to Abdulrachman Saleh Air Base.
In the aftermath of the crash, prayers were held at the air base and Commander Colonel Nav Saeful Rakhmat led a ceremony where a flag was lowered to half-mast.
Air accident investigators are understood to be heading to the crash sites on November 17, 2023, to gather evidence.
Breaking News, telah terjadi kecelakaan pesawat lain TNI AU jatuh di wilayah Kecamatan Puspo Kabupaten Pasuruan Jawa Timur pic.twitter.com/pMwMbg1aeB
— Abi Mutia (@MukarromahNur78) November 16, 2023
“Farewell, proud soldiers of the Indonesian Air Force, your service will always be remembered, and your name will always be remembered fondly,” the Indonesian Air Force said in a statement.