A 41-year-old Taiwanese military officer died after she was sucked into the engine of a plane.
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 where she was pronounced dead.
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 on Tuesday and said it is providing assistance to the woman’s family.
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. 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.
“If a human weighs an average of 70kg, it is easy to be sucked in by the engine,” he added. — The Straits Times/ANN
