KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has conveyed his condolences to the families of the two pilots found dead after a Royal Malaysian Air Force Hawk 108 fighter jet went missing after taking off from the RMAF Kuantan base today.

The Prime Minister said a thorough investigation would be conducted into the tragedy.

Pilots Major Yazmi Mohamed Yusof, 39, and Major Hasri Zahari, 31, of the No. 6 Squadron at the RMAF Labuan base, were found dead in a swamp forest near Chukai, Terengganu, at 2.30 pm after they had taken off from the RMAF Kuantan base at 11 am. The jet went missing 30 minutes later.

"Inalillah. Received the sad news of the two missing pilots having been found dead. Condolences to the families. A thorough investigation will be carried out,” Najib said in a Twitter message.

Chief of Air Force Gen Datuk Seri Affendi Buang told a press conference in Kuantan that the pilots had ejected but were found dead with the parachutes still attached to their bodies.

He also said that as at 4.30pm, the aircraft had yet to be found.

Affendi said the RMAF had temporarily grounded the Hawk 108 fighter jet pending an investigation into the tragedy. — Bernama