Vietnamese Su-30 Fighter Jet Crashes Into The Sea

A Vietnamese Air Force Su-30 fighter aircraft crashed into the sea after taking off from Sao Vang airport on a training mission this morning.

A local fisherman, said he saw a plane falling down into the sea at around 8:30 a.m. local time to the east of Mat island in Nghe An province, some 260 km south of capital Hanoi.

Two pilots, Tran Quang Khai, chief of staff of Regiment 923, and Nguyen Huu Cuong, flight lieutenant, were aboard the jet, according to Thanh Nien newspaper.

Sao Vang airport is located in Vietnam’s central Thanh Hoa province.  some 140 km south of capital Hanoi, for training.

It disappeared from radar screen at 7:29 a.m. local time (0029 GMT), reported VNExpress online newspaper.

Khai and Cuong are said to be experienced pilots. There was no distress call, Thanh Nien quoted sources as saying.

A joint rescue team has been deployed to search for the missing jet around the area, reported Thanh Nien.