Two Myanmar Air Force F-7 Aircraft Crash Killing Pilots, Bystander

Two F-7 fighter jets of the Myanmar Air Force crashed in Minbu Township, Magway Region of Myanmar Tuesday morning killing two pilots and a 5th grade student when debris from the aircraft hit her on the ground.

“Two military planes crashed. There were casualties and damage,” regional lawmaker Kyaw Swan Yi told local publication Khit Thit Media which posted reports on its Facebook page.

At 7:25am, one plane crashed into telecom tower near Sar Puk Creek, flinging debris that severely injured a young girl who was studying at her teacher’s home nearby. She died a few minutes later. Two other students received minor injuries.

At around the same time, another plane crashed into chili field near Tha Nat Pin Su village. Photos on social media show parts of the plane strewn across the field, local publication Khit Thit Media reported quoting regional lawmaker Kyaw Swan Yi.

The crashed F-7 jets are most probably the export version of Chinese Chengdu J-7 of which Myanmar has 24 and only some 10 are said to be in service.