Chinese fighter jet crashed into a residential area and caught fire

The incident happened on the morning of June 9 near Lao Hekou Airport, Xiangyang, Hubei Province. Photos of the scene published by Chinese state media showed many houses on fire, with some houses reduced to rubble.

The pilot ejected from the plane and was taken to a hospital for examination and treatment, along with two injured civilians. Rescue crews quickly arrived at the scene.

Damaged buildings after the plane crash. Photo: SCMP

The J-7 fighter jet crashed while training and crashed in a residential area. Photo: Weibo

According to China State Television (CCTV), the cause of the incident and the exact number of casualties are currently under investigation. Initial information indicates that one person was killed and two others were injured.

Lao Hekou Airport is currently mainly used as a training ground for new fighter pilots of the Guangzhou Military Region Air Force. The airport, which has a runway of 5,960 meters long, ceased to serve civil aviation routes after the airport in Xiangyang opened in 1989.

The pilot parachuted out of the plane. Photo: Weibo

In the past, China has had a number of crashes when participating in training. In 2015, a Chinese pilot parachuted out just before his plane plunged down a hillside.

Two years earlier, a military pilot was killed when a fighter jet crashed during night training in Zhejiang province.