An air show in Portugal turned deadly after two planes colliding, killing one pilot. As per the Portuguese Air Force, two planes, of the formations of six, suffered a collision during the show in the southern part of the country.
"The air force regrets to announce that at 4:05 pm (1505 GMT), at the Beja Air Show, two planes were the victim of an accident during an aerial demonstration involving six aircraft," stated the air force in a short statement.
As confirmed to AFP, a Spanish national, who was the pilot of one of the planes died due to the collision.
The other pilot, a Portuguese national, survived the collision but sustained injuries. As per the air force, the pilot was rushed to Beja Hospital for further treatment.
The plane collision was also captured live by many eyewitnesses. Videos of the collision were then circulated on social media and soon went viral.
On Cam | 2 Planes Collide During Portugal Air Show
Calling the crash a "tragic accident", Portugal's Defence Minister Nuno Melo called for an investigation into the matter to "determine the exact cause" of the collision.
Meanwhile, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed its condolences for the tragic accident.
"It was meant to be a moment of leisure and shared enjoyment. It turned into a moment of pain," stated Sousa.
The Beja Air Show consisted the performance of an aerobatic group called the "Yak Stars". The planes which collided were Yakovlev Yak-52, a Soviet-designed aerobatic training model.
As per the official website of the Beja Air Show, the "Yak Stars" were participating with around 30 other European aerobatic groups in the event. The group were also billed as southern Europe's largest civil aerobatics group.
