“It is with deep regret that we inform you that today, during an M-346 Bielik training flight at the airport of the 43rd Naval Aviation Base in Gdynia Babich-Doly, Major Pilot Robert ‘Killer’ Jel tragically died,” posted the General Armed Forces Command on X.
The operational body of the armed forces paid tribute to Jel with a black-and-white video of him smiling as a bird of prey rests on his arm briefly before taking off. “This is how we will remember him, always cheerful and smiling,” the post on X read.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda also took to social media to express his condolences: “It is with deep regret that I received the news about the crash of the M-346 Bielik plane, in which the pilot of the Polish Air Force tragically died. This is a painful loss for the entire Polish Army,” he said.
According to FlightGlobal, an investigation into the incident is now under way.
Two months ago, a student pilot in New Zealand was killed after his aircraft hit a sandspit, prompting warnings from authorities about pilot fatigue and visual illusions after it was discovered he had already flown that morning.
