ALGIERS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Defense Ministry on Thursday confirmed the killing of two crew members of a SU24 jet fighter aircraft which crashed Wednesday overnight in a vacant agricultural area in Tiaret province, 220 km south-west of the capital Algiers.
The military aircraft, which belongs to "Ain Ouessara Airbase in the 1st Military Region, crashed following a planned night training flight on Wednesday overnight," the source noted, adding that the crash occurred in an uninhabited agricultural area around 10 p.m. in the locality of Rechaiga, in Tiaret province.
This "incident claimed the life of two crew member officials, who were the pilot and co-pilot," specified the statement.
Army Chief of Staff and Deputy Defense Minister, Ahmed Gaid Salah, "extends his condolence to the family members of the victims," as he ordered "the opening of an investigation to determine and elucidate the circumstances and causes of the crash," noted the statement.
Several crashes of military aircrafts were reported in recent years. The latest and worst air disaster in the history of Algeria dates back to April 2018, as 257 people were killed in the crash of Ilyushin I-76 military airplane moments after taking off from Boufarik military airport, 30 km south-west of Algiers.
The majority of the victims were soldiers and members of their families, according to Defense Ministry.
In June 2017, one army troop died when a military helicopter crashed in the province of Naama, 700 km south-west of Algiers.
In May 2017, three troops were killed in the northern province of Tipaza when their military helicopter crashed.
In Feb. 2014, 77 troops were killed when a C-130 Hercules aircraft belonging to the Algerian Air Force crashed in Oum El Bouaghi province, 400 km eastern Algiers.
In March 2016, 12 troops were killed and two others were injured in the southern locality of Reggane when their helicopter crashed.
In April 2015, a helicopter crashed in the southernmost province of Illizi, killing two soldiers.
In Nov. 2014, an air force MIG-25 'Foxbat' fighter also crashed, but the pilot managed to eject himself out of the plane before the crash.
