HANOI - Two Vietnamese air force pilots parachuted to safety before their twin-seat military plane crashed in the province of Binh Dinh during a landing attempt in difficult weather on Wednesday, state media said.

       The landing gear of the Russian-made Yak-130 light combat training aircraft could not be deployed, forcing the pilots to escape by parachute, a defence ministry statement said. Both pilots were missing for several hours.

       Binh Dinh Newspaper, the mouthpiece of authorities in Binh Dinh, reported late on Wednesday that the military had succeeded in rescuing both pilots and were taking them out of a forest.

       Last year, a pilot was killed during training while trying to land a Russian-made Su-22 jet at a local airport.

       Vietnam relies heavily on Russia for its military products but is seeking to diversify its suppliers. REUTERS