An influencer in the aviation industry tragically lost his life in front of over 1,000 viewers as his ultralight aircraft crashed and caught fire during a live online broadcast.
The incident took place in Jiange County, central China, where Tang Feiji was streaming live from his twin-rotor aircraft. As the aircraft suddenly veered and descended rapidly, viewers watching the livestream were shocked and pleaded for emergency help to save him.
Despite the viewers’ frantic appeals, Tang, aged 55, succumbed to the impact and was declared deceased at the crash site. Tang, a well-known figure in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, had a substantial online following of approximately 100,000 on the Chinese social media platform Douyin for his frequent aviation content.
Moments before the fatal crash, Tang had made a brief landing to adjust his camera before taking off again. Notably, he was flying without protective gear like a helmet or parachute.
Following the tragedy, Tang’s livestream account has been set to private, limiting access to his previous content to existing followers only. Authorities in China have initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding Tang’s untimely death.
Reports indicate that this was not Tang’s first encounter with peril, having survived two prior crashes attributed to technical malfunctions like a faulty fuel gauge. He had acquired the aircraft for an estimated £36,500 (CNY 350,000) the previous year.
Tang believed that a pilot’s license was unnecessary for operating such ultralight aircraft when he made the purchase. However, aviation experts stress the mandatory requirement of a license for piloting any low-altitude aircraft.
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