• Date:
  • Category: News

A Mirage fighter jet of the Taiwan Air Force lost power for unknown reasons during training off the coast of Hsinchu on Tuesday (September 10, 2024). The pilot was rescued after parachuting before the aircraft crashed and is currently conscious.

According to Taiwan media reports, at 8:35 p.m. on Tuesday, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense's Mirage 2000 single-seat aircraft, aircraft number 2047, suddenly lost power while conducting night flight training 16.7 nautical miles (31 kilometers) southwest of Nanliao, Hsinchu. The pilot, Captain Xie Peixun, parachuted before the military aircraft crashed. It is reported that the Mirage fighter jet experienced engine surge phenomenon south of the airport during the instrument landing system (ILS) instrument approach procedure, causing the military aircraft to lose some power, and eventually crashed into the sea off Xiangshan, south of Hsinchu. The pilot abandoned the plane and parachuted. The parachute light spot was 19 nautical miles southwest of the Hsinchu base.

After receiving the report, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense immediately dispatched a search and rescue aircraft from Chiayi Airport to rescue, and the Coast Guard Administration also dispatched a ship and four boats to rescue. The National Search and Rescue Center ordered the Air Force AS-365 search and rescue aircraft, the Chiayi base Seagull helicopter, and the Pingtung base C-130 to search and rescue. Two hours after the search and rescue operation, the Taiwan Coast Guard confirmed that Xie Peixun was found at 10:43 p.m. and was taken to Taichung Port by a patrol boat and then to Tong General Hospital for medical examination. He will be hospitalized for observation.

The Taiwan Air Force will set up a special task force to clarify the cause of the incident.