The 47-year-old Major Valentin Terziev is the pilot of the MiG-29 fighter jet missing in action over the Black Sea, colleagues of the pilot said. He is among the most experienced aces at the air base in Graf Ignatievo as per flight hours.

The plane he was flying fell into the high seas off Shabla during an exercise. Terziev was assigned shooting at a luminous parachute target at night, which is considered one of the most difficult exercises because there is a risk to lose orientation.  However, the major was experienced enough to cope without major problems, his colleagues say.

They do not believe that the cause of the accident may have been a pilot’s error, which is one of the leads.

The major, who is a native of Varna, took part in a joint exercise with the Serbian Air Force near Shabla, which began on June 7 and was due to last until June 11.

The Serbian pilots participated with three MiG-29 fighter jets that took off and landed at Graf Ignatievo air base.

MiG-29, which Terziev piloted, was delivered to Bulgaria in 1988-89 and reportedly was deemed “airworthy” for another eight years.

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