site.btaUPDATED Two Officer Pilots Perish in Military Aircraft Crash at Graf Ignatievo Air Base

Two officer pilots lost their lives in a crash of a military L-39 ZA aircraft at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base (South Bulgaria), caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said on Friday.

Condolences to their families and relatives, Glavchev said.

The aircraft has been renovated, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov explained at a briefing in connection with the crash of the L-39ZA military aircraft. He expressed condolences to the family and relatives of the deceased. 

The Minister added the incident occurred at 12:30 pm during a training flight. After the flight of the first groups, it was the turn of the L-39ZA team from Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base [North Bulgaria]. "These were the instructors who train pilots, these were our best pilots," he said. 

Major Petko Dimitrov and First Lieutenant Ventsislav Dunkin were the two who perished, confirmed Bulgarian Air Force Commander Major General Dimitar Petrov. He explained that this was a routine training flight and one they had been preparing for months. This task had been performed many times at Dolna Mitropoliya, he added, stressing that those were excellent pilots.

He and Zapryanov confirmed that an investigation is already underway. "Major Dimitrov was one of the most experienced pilots we have. Dunkin was a young talented pilot," Petrov pointed out. Asked whether he would resign after the accident, the Air Force Commander said he lost one of his best friends. "Do you think this is a light punishment?" he asked.

The Armed Forces will hold a day of mourning on Saturday. Flags will be lowered by half, the Defence Minister said.