President awards Medals to 2 pilots involved in plane crash in Binh Dinh

The President has decided to award the Fatherland Protection Medal to the two pilots involved in the YAK-130 plane crash in Binh Dinh.

Forces searching for Yak-130 aircraft - Photo: TTO

Accordingly, the President decided to award the Third Class Fatherland Protection Medal to two pilots, Colonel Nguyen Van Son, commander of Regiment 940, and Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hong Quan, flight director, Regiment 940, Air Force Officer School, Air Defense - Air Force Service, Ministry of National Defense.

The decision stated that the two pilots were awarded the Third Class Fatherland Protection Medal for "having outstanding achievements in performing combat flight training tasks, contributing to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland."

Previously, on November 6, Air Force Regiment 940 organized a training flight at Phu Cat airport, Binh Dinh province.

Colonel Nguyen Van Son, regimental commander and Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hong Quan, flight director of the regiment directly practiced the flight crew controlling the Yak-130 aircraft with serial number 210D.

When completing the mission, the plane was piloted back to the airport to land when the plane encountered a technical problem, the landing gear could not be released, the pilots urgently took emergency measures to save the plane but were unable to do so. The flight commander ordered the pilot to parachute.

In a very short moment, the plane was at low altitude, falling very quickly, endangering lives, but the pilots remained calm, bravely controlled the plane away from densely populated areas and parachuted safely, causing no damage.

On November 7, General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, also sent a letter of commendation and encouragement to the officers, staff, and soldiers in the flight crew of Air Force Regiment 940, Air Force Officer School, Air Defense - Air Force Service, and the two pilots who were in the accident.

On November 14 and 15, Colonel Le Van Uy, political commissar of the Air Force Officer School, and the working delegation also visited Dak Lak to present a letter of thanks from the commander of the Air Defense - Air Force Service regarding the search for the Yak-130 aircraft.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chu-tich-nuoc-tang-thuong-huan-chuong-cho-2-phi-cong-vu-roi-may-bay-o-binh-dinh-20241120181638826.htm