Two Dead In Bulgarian Military Jet Crash At Graf Ignatievo Air Base

The crash of a Bulgarian military training jet at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base near Plovdiv has confirmed the deaths of two pilots. Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev confirmed the fatalities during a media briefing on Friday.

The crash occurred at approximately 12:30 local time on Friday. The L-39ZA aircraft, involved in a training flight for an upcoming airshow scheduled for Saturday, went down under unclear circumstances. Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov identified the deceased pilots as instructors born in 1973 and 1986, respectively. They were training others to fly the L-39ZA.

Zapryanov withheld further details as investigators continue their work. He also announced that the armed forces will observe a period of mourning starting Saturday. Consequently, the airshow has been canceled.

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Earlier on Friday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, a former Air Force commander, co-piloted an F-16 aircraft at the same air base. Air Force Commander Dimitar Petrov described the deceased pilots as “among the best,” noting that they had frequently conducted similar training exercises.

The crash highlights ongoing concerns about Bulgaria’s outdated air force, much of which dates back to the communist era. A recent army report noted issues with insufficient pilot training. In June 2021, another tragic incident occurred when a Bulgarian pilot died in a MiG-29 crash during a Black Sea exercise.

In response to these challenges, Bulgaria has recently ordered 16 U.S. fighter jets to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG-29s. This deal marks the largest army modernization contract since the end of communism, reflecting Bulgaria’s efforts to update its military capabilities amid NATO’s eastern flank.