U.S. fighter jet crashes in Libya, crew safe
Posted Mar 22, 2011 7:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The U.S. military says an Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle crashed in Libya, but was not shot down. The Pentagon says it went down due to a mechanical malfunction.
The two pilots were ejected from their fighter jet and sustained minor injuries, but are safe and reportedly in U.S. hands.
The pilots were separated because they used parachutes to eject from the jet at high altitudes, ending up in different areas.
The aircraft was flying out of Italy’s Aviano Air Base in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn at the time of the incident.
Retired U.S. Major-General James Marks said that despite the mission’s definition of an air-only campaign, it would be naive for anyone to think that special operation forces are not on the ground.
There was no major strike by coalition planes overnight. Canadian CF-18s have now joined the international force.
