Two pilots martyred as PAF training aircraft crashes at Peshawar Air Base

PESHAWAR: Two pilots of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) were martyred on Tuesday as their jet crashed during landing at the Peshawar Air Base, according to a PAF spokesperson. 

"Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF FT-7PG trainer aircraft while recovering from a routine operational training mission crashed during landing at Peshawar Air Base. Rescue operation is in progress," the air force said in a statement after the incident.

The PAF spokesperson said the air headquarters has directed the formation of a board of inquiry to prove the incident.

Official sources said the aircraft crashed around 11:40am near the customs landing runway. It is believed that the plane crashed due to a technical fault.

An eye-witness told Geo News, "The pilots tried to save the nearby civilian population and steered the jet towards the runway but it blew up during crash-landing." 

Smoke could be seen rising from the vicinity of the airport after the incident.

An emergency was declared at the airport after the incident. However, airport sources said the rescue staff managed to douse the flames and clear the runway.