Cremains of fallen pilot to return to hometown
Xinhua, November 17, 2016 Adjust font size:
The ashes of pilot Yu Xu will be returned to her hometown of Chongzhou, a city in the southwestern province of Sichuan, authorities said Thursday.
Yu, who was the first Chinese woman to fly a J-10 fighter jet, died in an accident during a routine training operation last week.
Her ashes will be placed at Chongzhou sports center first, for a public commemoration on Friday, before being interred at the local memorial park for heroes on Sunday during a second commemoration ceremony, according to the local publicity department.
On Tuesday, the Chinese military conferred Yu the posthumous title of "revolutionary heroine."
Born in 1986, Yu joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in September 2005, and had flown four types of aircraft.
She was selected to fly over Tian'anmen Square during the 2009 National Day parade and had flown the J-10 in air shows at home and abroad, according to Air Force spokesperson Shen Jinke.
From country girl to China's first female J-10 pilot, Yu devoted her most precious years to the Air Force, Shen said.
People across the country are mourning her. About 10 million people laid virtual wreaths at an online mourning hall set up for her. Endi