Air Force Captain Chu Kuan-meng was killed at the end of October when an F-5E jet he was piloting during a training exercise crashed. The Air Force held a public memorial service for Chu at Zhihang Air Base on Nov. 17. President Tsai Ing-wen attended and posthumously promoted Chu to lieutenant colonel.


President Tsai Ing-wen presented late Air Force pilot Chu Kuan-meng with a posthumous accolade and a praise and commendation order during a public memorial service at Zhihang Air Base on Nov. 17. Chu was killed at the end of October when an F-5E jet he was piloting in a training exercise malfunctioned and crashed. He was able to eject in time, but died afterwards. During the morning, a motorcade transported Chu's remains from his residence to the base, circled around the base, and arrived at the site of the service. His fellow soldiers lined up in formation to pay their respects. In addition to Tsai, National Defense Minister Yen De-fa was also in attendance.

I speak on behalf of the entire country in expressing my condolences for the loss of Kuan-meng. We thank him for his dedication to upholding national security.

Tsai also posthumously promoted Chu from captain to lieutenant colonel. She said Chu's death in the line of duty was a loss for the military and for the country.

We have not only lost a filial son, a considerate husband, and a loving father, but also an outstanding officer. This is a loss not only for the military, but also for the country.

"Blue Sky," a song composed by Chu, was played during the service. It represented his dedication to protecting Taiwan. After the service, a four F-5 jet formation conducted a funeral flyover. Chu will be buried at Bitan Air Force Martyrs' Cemetery. The military is currently attempting to salvage the wreckage of the F-5E jet, and sent a minehunter to locate the plane. It also hired a private company to conduct a salvage operation around the clock, but the unstable weather has complicated the operation. The Air Force is scheduled to release the preliminary results of its investigation into the crash on Dec. 14.



總統蔡英文親自頒發旌忠狀及褒揚令，向已故飛官朱冠甍的家屬，表達心中的不捨。朱冠甍在10月底，駕駛F-5E，戰機發生故障，跳傘殉職，上午在台東志航基地，舉行公祭。而移靈車隊一早，先回到朱冠甍的住家，接著繞行基地後，進入告別式會場，軍士官也列隊送行，包括蔡總統及國防部長嚴德發，都到場追思。

總統 蔡英文表示：「我代表全體國人，表達對冠甍的追思，感謝他盡忠職守，守護國家安全。」

蔡總統也追晉朱冠甍為中校軍階，強調他的因公殉職，是國軍的損失，更是國家的損失。

總統 蔡英文表示：「我們失去的，不僅是一個孝順的兒子、貼心的丈夫、疼小孩的父親，也是優秀的軍官。這是國軍的損失，也是國家的損失。」

公祭中，也播放朱冠甍生前的創作曲「藍天」，感念他生前守護家園的用心。而公祭典禮結束後進行啟靈儀式，由4架F-5型機編隊通過啟靈隊伍上方，以追思隊形，飛越會場上空，向他致敬。而朱冠甍忠骸將安厝在新店碧潭空軍烈士公墓。至於在打撈戰機殘骸的工作上，軍方派出獵雷艦，到失事海域偵測失事戰機位置，還委請民間公司，日以繼夜的打撈，不過，當地海象不佳，執行上較為困難；而空軍也將在12月14號，公布初步失事報告。