MALATYA
An aircraft accident which killed four Turkish air force pilots on Tuesday is thought to have been caused by the planes "flying at a lower altitude than the fixed safe altitude," according to military sources.
The two military RF-4E planes were under no external influence and did not collide in the air, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Thursday.
"It is estimated that they were flying at a lower altitude than the fixed safe altitude," the statement said.
Contact with the two jets was lost on Tuesday during reconnaissance flights in the Akcadag district of Turkey's southeastern Malatya province.
Rescue teams as well as fire crews, ambulances and gendarmerie were sent to the scene immediately after local people reported explosions.
An investigation is underway to find out what caused the accident, whether it was due to technical, administrative or human error, the General Staff said, adding all the required aircraft maintenance had been carried out properly by qualified personnel
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