The Philippine Air Force grounded its entire SF-260 trainer fleet Saturday after two of the Italian-built aircraft collided mid-air during a low-altitude training mission, killing all four pilots.
The crash occurred Friday afternoon at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province, roughly 50 miles south of Manila, officials confirmed. Both two-seater planes went down following the in-flight collision. One aircraft crashed near the barracks housing military personnel stationed at the base, a witness said. There were no reported injuries on the ground.
Two Philippine officials with direct knowledge of the incident said the collision happened while the aircraft were flying at low altitude. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The air force officially classified the crash as accidental but released no details about the cause. All four pilots aboard the two aircraft died in the incident.
The SF-260 Marchetti is a light trainer and aerobatics aircraft manufactured in Italy. The Philippine Air Force did not disclose how many SF-260s remain in its inventory following the loss of the two planes. The temporary grounding applies to every remaining aircraft of the type pending the outcome of an investigation.
The accident highlights persistent challenges facing the Philippine military, which has long faced funding shortfalls that have hampered efforts to modernize its air force, navy and army. Those financial constraints come as the country simultaneously confronts decades-long communist and Muslim insurgencies and increasingly tense territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.
The crash represents one of the deadliest training accidents in recent years for an air force already stretched thin by multiple security demands. The investigation into Friday’s collision is ongoing.