Jet fighter crash kills two in Thailand

An ageing fighter jet crashed after its engine caught fire during a training exercise in southern Thailand today, killing the plane’s two pilots.

The US-made F-5b jet plunged from the sky during a routine training flight over Surat Thani province.

The bodies of the two pilots – Lt. Aroon Saengla and Lt. Somchai Padpai – were found in the wreckage of the plane, which became engulfed by flames after it crashed about three miles from a Royal Thai Air Force base.

F-5b jets have been used by the Thai air force since 1966. They have crashed frequently in the past and only a few are still in use for training exercises in Thailand, Monthon said.