Autopsies Completed on Pilots Killed in Taiwan Trainer Jet Crash

The bodies of two Taiwanese Air Force pilots who died in a T-34C trainer aircraft crash have undergone post-mortem examinations. The incident occurred yesterday morning near Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung.

Lieutenant Colonel Kuo Chun-nan, serving as the assessment officer, and Lieutenant Colonel Lu Chi-yu, the trainee pilot, were participating in a simulated engine failure exercise when the aircraft crashed for reasons yet to be determined. Both pilots tragically lost their lives in the accident.

Investigators from the Qiaotou District Prosecutor's Office, along with forensic pathologists, conducted the autopsies this afternoon at the Kaohsiung Municipal Mortuary. The examinations aimed to confirm the identities of the deceased and ascertain the fatal injuries sustained by each pilot.

Family members of the two pilots arrived at the mortuary in the afternoon, accompanied by military personnel. Forensic personnel from the Kaohsiung City Police Department also provided assistance at the scene.

Chief Prosecutor Cheng Tzu-wei stated that while preliminary autopsies have been completed, the precise cause of death and the accident investigation require a formal report from the Forensic Science Institute. The prosecutor's office will cooperate with the Air Force in their ongoing investigation to clarify the circumstances of the crash.

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The exact cause of death needs to await the official report issued by the Forensic Science Institute.