A pilot was killed and another injured in a collision between two small planes participating in an airshow at the Beja airport in southern Portugal. In a video shared on social media, six aircraft can be seen performing at several meters above the ground. Then, one of the planes ascends and collides with another before crashing amid a cloud of smoke.
The Portuguese Air Force stated in a statement that the two planes "were involved in an accident during an airshow" that included six aircraft during the "Beja Airshow." The military reported that a person "of Spanish nationality" died during the collision that occurred shortly after 4 p.m. Another pilot, of Portuguese nationality, sustained minor injuries. The statement clarified that he "received emergency treatment" before being "transferred to the hospital in Beja," a town in the south of the country with a population of 25,000.
Portugal ??| A person was killed and another injured due to the collision of two Yak-52 aircraft during an airshow in Portugal. The planes were part of the Yakstars team made up of Portuguese and Spanish pilots. pic.twitter.com/blt0qCql8s— ABDULRHMAN?| Abdulrahman (@AAAX99X) June 3, 2024
The Portuguese military clarified that the downed plane crashed "outside the military base" while the second plane managed to land on the runway. It also added that the incident "did not result in any injuries among the audience." The pilots belong to a demonstration team called "Yak Stars," comprised of members from both Spanish and Portuguese nationalities. They were flying Yakovlev Yak-52, a small Soviet-designed aircraft intended for training and demonstrations.
