What happened
On a mission to locate a missing Vietnam Air Force Sukhoi SU-30, a crew departed from Hanoi-Gia Lam Airport at 09:30 local time. The flight was operating as a search and rescue mission following the disappearance of a military jet two days prior. While the aircraft was in the cruise phase of flight over the Gulf of Tonkin, it experienced a sudden loss of control. The twin-engine aircraft impacted the ocean surface approximately 22 km southwest of Bạch Long Vĩ Island.
Following the impact, search efforts located various pieces of debris floating on the water's surface a few hours later. The accident resulted in nine fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants. The weather conditions at the time of the incident were reported as good.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an uncontrolled descent during the cruise phase of the mission.