IAF F-16 jet crashes into sea; airmen eject safely

Jet in training session crashes off coast of Gaza due to technical fault in engine; training flights temporarily grounded.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
F-16 gets rescued from sea (photo credit: REUTERS)
F-16 gets rescued from sea
(photo credit: REUTERS)
                   
An F-16i on a training flight crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, some 50 km. off the coast of the Gaza Strip, on Sunday.
The plane’s pilot, an IAF flight instructor and navigator, who was being trained, safely ejected from the aircraft and parachuted to the sea before being rescued.
The two-seater fighter jet was taking part in a training exercise in which it attempted an interception drill.
“A technical fault caused the engine to switch off,” a senior air force source said.
“They both ejected and parachuted. They spent around an hour in the sea in close proximity to one another, before being rescued by helicopter by the 669 Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit,” the source added.
The airmen underwent an initial medical check-up by the Unit 669 medics, before they were air lifted to a hospital for further checks.
“Both are in good condition,” the air force source said.
Seconds after their engine cut out, the pilots attempted and failed to restart it. They sent a radio distress call before ejecting.
IAF chief Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel temporarily grounded all F-16i and F-15i training flights until an initial inquiry into the failure is completed.
Both jets use the same Pratt and Whitney engine.
“These engines have tens of thousands of flight hours,” the air force source said. “We’ve experienced midair failures in the past,” he added.The F-16i has been in the IAF’s service since 2004.