A military helicopter crashed during a nighttime training mission in Fujian province on Jan. 19, killing two pilots on board, according to a post on the official Weibo of Military Daily.

Shortly after the accident, military and civilian authorities conducted a joint search and rescue operation to recover the pilots' bodies. The army has declared the two pilots martyrs.

Zhang Hao, captain of the helicopter, was born in April 1983 in Guanyun, Jiangsu province. He entered the army in September 2001, and went on to receive many awards. Zhang was an experienced pilot capable of commanding a variety of aircraft.

Wang Xiaodong, Zhang's co-pilot, was born in February 1989 in Suining, Jiangsu province. He entered the army in September 2008. Wang was able to fly two types of aircraft.