Taipei, June 2 -- Two Taiwan Air Force pilots were killed after a T-34 trainer aircraft crashed in southern Taiwan, local media reported on Tuesday morning.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences for the two Air Force lieutenant colonels who were killed in the crash said a task force had been established to probe the cause of the accident and prevent similar tragedies, CNA reported.

According to the country's Air Force, the aircraft, was being flown by Lt. Col. Lu Chi-yu and Lt. Col. Kuo Chun-nan on a simulated engine-failure training mission when the plane crashed near the northern end of the runway at 8:08 am (local time) at Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung, killing both pilots, Focus Taiwan news outlet reported.

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