Two military planes collide in Venezuela: officials

Caracas: Two Venezuelan military planes collided during a demonstration on Thursday, killing a pilot who steered his stricken turboprop plane away from populated areas, the government said.

Two other aviators ejected safely from their OV-10 Bronco aircraft and were not injured in the mishap, which occurred at the Palo Negro air base in the north central state of Aragua, said Defense Minister Diego Molero.

Molero said the pilot of the other plane, Major Jose Rafael Marin a flight instructor, directed his OV-10 Bronco to an unpopulated area in a heroic act to avert a "worse tragedy."

Officials said the two planes were rehearsing for an aerial display when they collided.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.

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