Rabat – A DA 42 training aircraft crashed Thursday morning at 10:02 a.m. within the Benslimane airbase just after takeoff, according to a press release from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).
The crash resulted in the deaths of two officers from the Moroccan Royal Air Force, including a senior instructor colonel and a trainee officer, added the statement.
The officers were on a training and qualification mission when the accident occurred. A commission of inquiry has been set up to determine the cause of the crash, the statement noted.
The statement concluded with FAR expressing their deepest condolences and solidarity with the families and loved ones of the deceased.
FAR had not yet revealed the names of the deceased. However, local reports identified the victims as Colonel Mohamed Mokhtari and Commander Fathi Omar.
The DA 42 is a twin-engine light aircraft manufactured by Austria-based manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries. It is primarily used for flight training, navigation, and general aviation purposes.
A similar incident occurred in 2019 when two members of FAR died due to a helicopter crash in the Tichla region. The victims were the pilot and a non-commissioned engineer officer.
