A Spanish pilot dies when two small planes collide at an air festival in Portugal
A Spanish pilot died this Sunday after the plane he was driving collided with another during an air festival carried out in the town of Beja (South of Portugal), in an accident that also caused an injured Portuguese national.
The deceased was a pilot of the Iberian acrobatic patrol Yakstarsmade up of Spaniards and Portuguese, and participated in the Beja AirShow festival, according to the Portuguese Air Force in a statement.
The pilot of the other aircraft, a Portuguese national and from the same patrol, was slightly injured. and was assisted by medical services at the scene of the accident. Later, he was taken to the Beja hospital “as a precaution,” the Air Force explained.
The accident occurred at 4:05 p.m. local time (3:05 p.m. GMT) and the event was immediately interrupted.
One of the planes crashed outside the perimeter from the air base where the festival was being held and the other landed at the unit.
“In these situations there were no victims on the ground, among people who attended the event in the vicinity,” said the Air Force, which expressed its “regret and dismay” for what happened and presented its condolences to the family and friends of the victim. mortal.
The causes of the accident are under investigation.
Yakstars is the largest civilian aerobatic display team in southern Europe and one of the largest in the world, according to the Air Force website. Its bases are Casarrubios, in Spain, and Ponte de Sor, in Portugal..
