Incident Overview
During a joint military exercise with the Taiwan Navy, an aircraft was cruising over the Taiwan Strait while towing a target. The aircraft was mistakenly struck by a surface-to-air missile launched from a Taiwan Navy frigate, resulting in an explosion. Debris from the aircraft was later found off the coast of Taitung. All four crew members aboard were killed.
Circumstances
The aircraft was actively participating in the exercise and towing a target at the time of the incident. The missile, fired from a frigate, struck the aircraft in what was determined to be a mistaken engagement. No further details about the aircraft type, registration, or other specifics were provided in the official report.
Aftermath
Following the explosion, search efforts located aircraft debris off Taitung. The four crew members were confirmed to have died in the incident. The official investigation concluded that the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by a surface-to-air missile during the military exercise.