Taiwan military officer dies after she was sucked into fighter-jet engine
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The sergeant was inspecting a Taiwan-made Ching-kuo Indigenous Defence Fighter.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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A 41-year-old Taiwanese military officer died after she was sucked into the engine of a plane in Taiwan on Jan 21.
The incident occurred at Ching Chuan Kang Air Force Base in Taichung, reported local media.
The sergeant, whose surname is Hu, was inspecting a Taiwan-made Ching-kuo Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF), reported broadcast agency PTS News.
She was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead at about 11.40am. Her mother rushed to the hospital and collapsed in tears, according to The Epoch Times. Sgt Hu was the youngest of three siblings, and lived with her mum in Taichung, reported United Daily News.
The airbase has suspended take-offs for IDFs and is investigating, according to PTS News.
Taiwan’s Air Force Command has expressed regret over the incident and said it is providing assistance to the family. It will also review its workflow.
Military experts said standard procedures might not have been followed during the inspection, reported PTS News.
The Air Force Command also urges people not to speculate or spread unverified information. It was responding to a media report that an instructor stepped on the plane’s throttle, leading to the incident.
Sgt Hu served in the military for 18 years, reported PTS News. She was transferred to the field unit in 2024, and had a previous office role.
Dr Su Tzu-yun, director of defence strategy and resources at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said the aircraft’s engine takes in as much as one or two tonnes of air per minute, an equivalent of over 40kg per square foot.
“If a human weighs an average of 70kg, it is easy to be sucked in by the engine,” he added.
