Two PLA Navy personnel die on the same day, Hong Kong media reports suspected crash during flight training in South China Sea

(CNA, Hong Kong, July 8) - Hong Kong's Ming Pao reported today that two personnel from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command Navy may have died simultaneously during a flight training exercise last month, and there might have been a third person on board. "The outside world believes the two died in an undisclosed crash incident in the South China Sea."

The report stated that PLA Southern Theater Command Navy Lieutenant Shi Shaoyong died during a flight training exercise last month, and his ashes were recently returned to his hometown of Yishui County, Shandong, for burial.

The report quoted Chinese state media as saying that Shi Shaoyong's ashes were interred at the Yishui Martyrs' Cemetery, and he was posthumously recognized as a martyr at the ceremony. The tombstone erected for Shi Shaoyong by the Yishui County government records that Shi Shaoyong died on June 10 during a night flight training exercise.

Meanwhile, Fang Ming, a tactical commander of the Southern Theater Command Navy Air Force, recently held a farewell ceremony in his hometown of Lujiang, Anhui. He also died on June 10 while on a flight training mission.

The report indicated that both Shi Shaoyong and Fang Ming died in flight training. Although the authorities have not disclosed further details about their deaths, and there have been no reports of PLA aircraft crashes recently, it is believed that the two were on the same aircraft when an accident occurred. "The outside world believes the two died in an undisclosed crash incident in the South China Sea," and it is widely rumored on Chinese social media that a third military personnel also died in this incident.

According to the report, a Shandong netizen named "2000 Long," who claims to be Shi Shaoyong's classmate, posted a tribute to Shi Shaoyong on a short video platform yesterday. A netizen commented, "The pilot from my son's unit, there were three pilots on one plane," to which "2000 Long" replied, "Yes." (Editor: Zhou Huiying) 1150708

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