The ashes of a Republic of China (ROC) Air Force pilot, who died in a F-16 jet crash in the US state of Arizona on Jan. 21, was sent yesterday to Taiwan’s Chiayi Air Force Base, where a funeral is scheduled for him.
Major Kao Ting-cheng’s (高鼎程) family arrived at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport from the US carrying Kao’s ashes, while Air Force Commander General Shen Yi-ming (沈一鳴), members of the air force honor guards and Kao’s classmates received the family at the apron.
Kao’s ashes were then sent to the Chiayi Air Force Base, where a funeral was scheduled for about noon yesterday.
Photo: CNA
Air force pilots were to perform an aerial salute with F-16 jets at the base to honor Kao.
Kao, a 2007 graduate of Taiwan’s Air Force Academy with 865 flight hours, was in the US on a routine training program when an US-made F-16 jet that he was flying went down.
Kao was not able to eject from the fighter jet, which belonged to the ROC and was stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, authorities said.
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