An air force F5F trainer jet crashed in the southern Taiwan yesterday, killing one pilot and injuring the other, military officials said.

The two-seat plane crashed near the Chiayi County airport at about 7:28 a.m., less than half an hour after taking off from an air force base in the eastern county of Taitung for a routine training mission, the officials said.

The wreckage of the F5F aircraft was found aflame in a crop field in Taipao city, the officials added.

While the pilot, Lt. Col. Chou Chieh-wei, 42, died before rescue personnel arrived, his co-pilot, Lt. Hsia Wen-yu, 28, was seriously injured, they said.

Hsia was rushed to Chiayi Christian Hospital, and was in stable condition after emergency treatment, the officials said.

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