3 min readJul 10, 2026 06:51 PM IST
First published on: Jul 10, 2026 at 06:49 PM IST
China has quietly lost two military pilots, including a senior tactical commander, during frontline flight training exercises, with the deaths emerging only through local government notices and regional media reports rather than any announcement from Beijing, the South China Morning Post reported.
The pilots, both from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command, died on June 10 during separate training missions, according to memorial notices issued by their hometown governments. Chinese authorities have not disclosed how the accidents occurred, whether the pilots were flying together, or what aircraft were involved, the report added.
The revelations come as China steps up combat training and modernises its armed forces amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and across the Taiwan Strait, where the Southern Theatre Command plays a key operational role.
Senior commander declared a ‘martyr’
One of the pilots was Senior Colonel Fang Ming, 38, a tactical commander with the PLA Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation unit, the report said.
According to Hefei Daily and the Lujiang county government, Fang died during a flight training exercise on June 10. More than 200 military personnel and local residents attended his memorial service on July 3.
The Political Work Department of the Southern Theatre Command later recognised him as a “martyr”, a designation reserved for personnel who die while serving the country.
Officials said Fang had received a third-class merit award in 2018 and a second-class merit award in 2022 for combat-readiness and military training.
Young naval pilot also killed
The second pilot, First Lieutenant Shi Shaoyong, 25, also died on June 10 during a night flight training mission. Shi served in Unit 91911 under the Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation division, according to his hometown government and local media.
He enlisted in 2019, qualified as a Class IV pilot and had received a third-class merit award. Reports said he had volunteered for frontline deployments in the South China Sea after completing his training.
Like Fang, Shi was posthumously recognised as a martyr.
Beijing has not explained what happened
Chinese authorities have released no official statement about either death. It remains unclear whether the two pilots were involved in the same accident, flew the same aircraft or were participating in the same exercise.
No details have been provided about the aircraft involved, although previous reports suggest Unit 91911 operates helicopters.
The lack of official disclosure is notable, as Beijing rarely publicises military training accidents or fatalities involving the People’s Liberation Army.
Why this matters
The Southern Theatre Command is responsible for operations in the South China Sea, one of China’s most strategically sensitive regions where Beijing faces territorial disputes with several countries and regularly conducts military patrols.
Fang Ming, a senior colonel serving as a tactical commander under the PLA Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation unit, is one of two pilots who died on June 10. (Photo: Sohu via South China Morning Post)
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