China is mourning the death of 30-year-old Captain Yu Xu, the country's first woman to become a J-10 fighter jet pilot.
Yu was killed in a flying accident during a training flight on Saturday in Hebei. After Yu ejected from the jet, which was plunging to the ground, her parachute hit the wing of another plane.
Her male co-pilot managed to eject safely and survived. Meanwhile, the second plane landed safely.
Yu was one of just four female pilots in the country capable of flying domestic fighter jets, according to People's Daily. The Sichuan native joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) airforce in 2005 and became one of the first 16 female pilots of fighter jets in the country.
She was a member of the PLA's August 1st Aerobatics Team and also flew a fighter jet over Tiananmen Square during the 60th Anniversary National Day Parade in October 2009.
[Images via People's Daily, SCMP]
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