Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 Crashes in Sea during Shabla 2021 Field Firing Exercise
NW 18:08:31 09-06-2021
LG1807NW.105
105 MILITARY - EXERCISE - BLACK SEA - AIRCRAFT -ACCIDENT ampl 2
Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29
Crashes in Sea during Shabla 2021
Field Firing Exercise
Sofia, June 9 (BTA) - A Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 jet fighter lost radio contact and disappeared from the radar screens at 00:45 hrs local time on June 9 while performing a training mission over Bulgarian territorial waters in the Black Sea during the Shabla 2021 Field Firing Exercise, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said in a press release.
A search and rescue operation was launched immediately and is still in progress. It involves teams and equipment from the Navy, the Joint Special Operations Command, the Border Police and the Air Force.
Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, Defence Minister Georgi Panayotov and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, arrived at the incident site.
The Shabla 2021 exercise has been discontinued.
Panayotov told BTA that the area in the Black Sea where the jet fighter fell has been localized, but the exact location of the aircraft is yet to be identified. He said it is not yet clear what caused the accident. A search for the jet's flight recorder is underway.
National Television reported that the pilot's life vest was found around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Defence Minister said that the pilot did not attempt to contact the base by radio around the time when the accident occurred. The pilot apparently did not eject, and ejector seat signals were not intercepted, which prompts assumptions that it was not actuated. "Whatever happened, happened very fast," Panayotov said.
In Sofia, President Rumen Radev, who is a former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, urged for caution and against speculations about the accident. The head of State said that all available resources have been deployed in the search and rescue operation. He said that what happened will become clear after the jet's flight recorder has been recovered.
Radev said that what matters most at this stage is to find the pilot. He said he knows the pilot and described him as a very nice person and a very good professional.
In connection with the crash, the regular weekly Cabinet meeting was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday morning.
Speaking at a news conference in Varna later on Wednesday, caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev said that the search and rescue operation for the missing pilot and sunken jet continues. The Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, said that the search for the aircraft is being carried out at a depth of 65-70 m in the sea.
The jet pilot was named as Major Valentin Terziev, 47, an experienced airman who was also a trained instructor. His performance has been impeccable, and he had no unfulfilled tasks.
Yanev said that another aircraft preceded Terziev's MiG along the same flight path and launched an illuminated flying target. The target deployed, but apparently something went wrong because it started descending faster than planned, which made Terziev undertake an additional manoeuvre. He hit the target, reported the hit, and shortly after that contact with him was lost.
The PM said that the search and rescue effort continues but, regrettably, given the time that has elapsed since the crash and the readings of the water current and seawater temperature, the hopes to locate the pilot are fading.
The aircraft was in a good technical condition. Panaytov said that the MiG was serviceable until 2030.
The Bulgarian Armed Forces have suspended all scheduled flights except for special assignments, Admiral Eftimov said.
Military investigators, prosecutors and police are looking into the causes of the crash.
The Sliven Military District Prosecutor, Colonel Hristo Tinev, said that a pre-trial proceeding has been instituted in connection with the accident and that all leads are being followed. NV, RY/DT, ZH/LG
//
LG1807NW.105
105 MILITARY - EXERCISE - BLACK SEA - AIRCRAFT -ACCIDENT ampl 2
Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29
Crashes in Sea during Shabla 2021
Field Firing Exercise
Sofia, June 9 (BTA) - A Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 jet fighter lost radio contact and disappeared from the radar screens at 00:45 hrs local time on June 9 while performing a training mission over Bulgarian territorial waters in the Black Sea during the Shabla 2021 Field Firing Exercise, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said in a press release.
A search and rescue operation was launched immediately and is still in progress. It involves teams and equipment from the Navy, the Joint Special Operations Command, the Border Police and the Air Force.
Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, Defence Minister Georgi Panayotov and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, arrived at the incident site.
The Shabla 2021 exercise has been discontinued.
Panayotov told BTA that the area in the Black Sea where the jet fighter fell has been localized, but the exact location of the aircraft is yet to be identified. He said it is not yet clear what caused the accident. A search for the jet's flight recorder is underway.
National Television reported that the pilot's life vest was found around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Defence Minister said that the pilot did not attempt to contact the base by radio around the time when the accident occurred. The pilot apparently did not eject, and ejector seat signals were not intercepted, which prompts assumptions that it was not actuated. "Whatever happened, happened very fast," Panayotov said.
In Sofia, President Rumen Radev, who is a former commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, urged for caution and against speculations about the accident. The head of State said that all available resources have been deployed in the search and rescue operation. He said that what happened will become clear after the jet's flight recorder has been recovered.
Radev said that what matters most at this stage is to find the pilot. He said he knows the pilot and described him as a very nice person and a very good professional.
In connection with the crash, the regular weekly Cabinet meeting was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday morning.
Speaking at a news conference in Varna later on Wednesday, caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev said that the search and rescue operation for the missing pilot and sunken jet continues. The Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, said that the search for the aircraft is being carried out at a depth of 65-70 m in the sea.
The jet pilot was named as Major Valentin Terziev, 47, an experienced airman who was also a trained instructor. His performance has been impeccable, and he had no unfulfilled tasks.
Yanev said that another aircraft preceded Terziev's MiG along the same flight path and launched an illuminated flying target. The target deployed, but apparently something went wrong because it started descending faster than planned, which made Terziev undertake an additional manoeuvre. He hit the target, reported the hit, and shortly after that contact with him was lost.
The PM said that the search and rescue effort continues but, regrettably, given the time that has elapsed since the crash and the readings of the water current and seawater temperature, the hopes to locate the pilot are fading.
The aircraft was in a good technical condition. Panaytov said that the MiG was serviceable until 2030.
The Bulgarian Armed Forces have suspended all scheduled flights except for special assignments, Admiral Eftimov said.
Military investigators, prosecutors and police are looking into the causes of the crash.
The Sliven Military District Prosecutor, Colonel Hristo Tinev, said that a pre-trial proceeding has been instituted in connection with the accident and that all leads are being followed. NV, RY/DT, ZH/LG
//
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