Hero pilot in fighter jet collision remembered
- By Chen Xia
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 3, 2013
Video footage capturing a Chinese hero pilot on flight duty was aired Monday in a program of China Central Television.
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Wang Wei on flight duty. [Video clip] |
The pilot was Wang Wei, who went missing 12 years ago after his fighter jet collided with a U.S. spy aircraft over the South China Sea.
The video was shot at a very close range by a U.S. pilot, not Wang's wingman.
On April 1, 2001, a U.S. EP-3 military surveillance plane was found flying close to China's airspace southeast of Hainan Island. Wang and his wingman were dispatched to trail and monitor it.
After flying in the same direction with the U.S. plane for a while, Wang's jet took a hit and he ejected from the aircraft. The U.S. plane later landed at a Chinese airport without government permission.
The Chinese navy as well as civilians made maximum efforts to locate Wang, but the search proved to be in vain.
Zhao Yu was Wang's wingman when the latter's plane crashed. According to Zhao, when the tragedy took place, Wang's plane was some 400 meters away from the U.S. one.
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