T-34C Crash Kills 2 Pilots; Defense Minister Gu promises promotion to colonel and full compensation
Two air force pilots were killed in a T-34C trainer crash. Defense Minister Wellington Koo visited the families, promising a posthumous promotion to colonel and the highest standard of compensation. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
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- 📰 Published: June 4, 2026 at 13:37
- 🔍 Collected: June 4, 2026 at 13:53 (16 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 16:02 (50h 9m after Collected)
(Central News Agency, reporter Zhang Yilian, Kaohsiung, 4th) Following the crash of an Air Force T-34C trainer that killed two pilots, Defense Minister Wellington Koo visited the families at the Kaohsiung Municipal Funeral Home today (4th), stating, "They will definitely be promoted to colonel." Regarding compensation, he said the ministry would use the highest standards and make every effort to provide the best possible benefits.
Minister Koo arrived at the Kaohsiung Municipal Funeral Home around 10 a.m. to console the families. In a subsequent interview with the media, he said the ministry would do its utmost to assist with funeral arrangements, compensation, and any needs the families may have in their daily lives.
Regarding the posthumous promotion and enshrinement in the Martyrs' Shrine, Koo stated that the matter would be submitted to the President for approval in accordance with relevant regulations, and that the promotion to colonel was certain. He added that the location of enshrinement, whether at the Kaohsiung Martyrs' Shrine or the Air Force Martyrs' Cemetery near Bitan in New Taipei City, would respect the families' wishes.
The Kaohsiung City Government Civil Affairs Bureau noted that the procedure for enshrining fallen officers in the Martyrs' Shrine involves the original unit filling out a record of deeds and a roster, which is then submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to the Ministry of the Interior for approval. The Kaohsiung City Government pledged full assistance.
Lieutenant Colonels Guo Junnan and Lu Jiyou were piloting a T-34C trainer at the Kaohsiung Gangshan Air Base on the morning of the 2nd, conducting a simulated engine failure exercise on the takeoff and landing pattern. The aircraft crashed at the northern end of the base runway 21 minutes after takeoff, killing both crew members.
Chief Prosecutor Zheng Ziwei and Prosecutor Xu Yawen of the Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office, along with a forensic examiner, conducted a re-examination at the funeral home yesterday (3rd), completing a preliminary autopsy around 5:40 p.m. The detailed cause of death and the cause of the accident are pending the official report from the Institute of Forensic Medicine and further investigation by the military.
Separately, the military began removing the wreckage of the T-34C trainer around 2 p.m. yesterday. The military stated that the wrecked aircraft would be moved to an indoor warehouse on the base to preserve relevant evidence for subsequent investigation. (Editor: Huang Mingxi) 1150604
Minister Koo arrived at the Kaohsiung Municipal Funeral Home around 10 a.m. to console the families. In a subsequent interview with the media, he said the ministry would do its utmost to assist with funeral arrangements, compensation, and any needs the families may have in their daily lives.
Regarding the posthumous promotion and enshrinement in the Martyrs' Shrine, Koo stated that the matter would be submitted to the President for approval in accordance with relevant regulations, and that the promotion to colonel was certain. He added that the location of enshrinement, whether at the Kaohsiung Martyrs' Shrine or the Air Force Martyrs' Cemetery near Bitan in New Taipei City, would respect the families' wishes.
The Kaohsiung City Government Civil Affairs Bureau noted that the procedure for enshrining fallen officers in the Martyrs' Shrine involves the original unit filling out a record of deeds and a roster, which is then submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to the Ministry of the Interior for approval. The Kaohsiung City Government pledged full assistance.
Lieutenant Colonels Guo Junnan and Lu Jiyou were piloting a T-34C trainer at the Kaohsiung Gangshan Air Base on the morning of the 2nd, conducting a simulated engine failure exercise on the takeoff and landing pattern. The aircraft crashed at the northern end of the base runway 21 minutes after takeoff, killing both crew members.
Chief Prosecutor Zheng Ziwei and Prosecutor Xu Yawen of the Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office, along with a forensic examiner, conducted a re-examination at the funeral home yesterday (3rd), completing a preliminary autopsy around 5:40 p.m. The detailed cause of death and the cause of the accident are pending the official report from the Institute of Forensic Medicine and further investigation by the military.
Separately, the military began removing the wreckage of the T-34C trainer around 2 p.m. yesterday. The military stated that the wrecked aircraft would be moved to an indoor warehouse on the base to preserve relevant evidence for subsequent investigation. (Editor: Huang Mingxi) 1150604