Two Russian Su-27 fighters on Sunday collided during a training flight, killing one pilot, according to Russian news agencies.
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An undamaged Su-27 jet (L) follows the burning Su-27, just seconds after the burning aircraft (R) collided with a two-seat Su-27 (not seen) not far from the Zhukovsky airfield, east of Moscow, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Two Russian air force jets rehearsing aerobatic maneuvers collided Sunday near Moscow, killing one stunt pilot and sending one fighter crashing into nearby vacation homes, a military official said. [Xinhua]
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"According to updated information, one of the three pilots was killed in the air disaster," the Interfax news agency quoted Air Force spokesman Vladimir Drik as saying.
Two jets from the aerobatic team the Russian Knights collided in mid-air over the Ramenskoye airfield in southeastern Moscow while rehearsing for the MAKS 2009 air show, Russia's largest and most important exhibition for aerospace industry that opens on Tuesday.
The dead pilot was the Russian Knights' commander, according to the Interfax.
Fragments seen flying, from a two-seat Su-27 jet from the Russian air force elite aerobatic team Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights), just seconds after the aircraft collided with a single-seat Su-27, not seen, not far from the Zhukovsky airfield, east of Moscow, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009.
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Fragments seen flying, from a two-seat Su-27 jet from the Russian air force elite aerobatic team Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights), just seconds after the aircraft collided with a single-seat Su-27, not seen, not far from the Zhukovsky airfield, east of Moscow, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. [Xinhua]
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The Interfax said in an earlier report that all the three pilots were found after ejection and were in satisfactory conditions.