The C-101 jet #5 of the Patrulla Águila has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off Murcia.
A Casa C-101 Aviojet belonging to the Patrulla Águila (Spanish for “Eagle Patrol”), the Spanish Air Force’s display team, has crashed into sea earlier today near La Manga, in Murcia. The pilot, Commander Eduardo Fermín Garvalena, was killed in the incident.
Initially, the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) released a statement saying that a C-101 jet of the Academia General del Aire, the academy of officers of the Spanish Air Force, was involved in the accident.
Un avión C-101 de la Academia General del Aire #AGA ha caído al mar en las proximidades de #LaManga #Murcia a primera hora de esta tarde
— Ejército del Aire (@EjercitoAire) February 27, 2020
Later, the service announced the C-101 was one of the 7 jets flown by the display team based at San Javier: the #5, the soloist of Patrulla Águila. The team is currently preparing for the beginning of the airshow season.
El avión accidentado corresponde al Punto 5, SOLO de la @patrullaguila pic.twitter.com/H8MVtN0mpQ
— Ejército del Aire (@EjercitoAire) February 27, 2020
On Aug. 26, 2019, another C-101 Aviojet advanced trainer crashed into the sea off the coast of La Manga del Mar Menor, in Murcia. Back then, the first reports said the aircraft belonged to the Patrulla Águila and that the only pilot on the plane managed to eject before impact; however, it later emerged that the aicraft was flown by the former solo (Aguila 5) of the Patrulla Aguila, Comandante Francisco Marín, an IP (Instructor Pilot) of the Academia General del Aire, the academy of officers of the Spanish Air Force, also based at San Javier, who lost his life in the incident.
We will update this article as new details emerge.
H/T Antonio Valencia for the heads-up.
