US Airforce F-16 Crashes in Iraq
IN THE NEWS; WORLD
A US Airforce F-16 CG Jet nosedived into a field in Iraq on Monday, around 1:35 pm. As of now, most media websites are reporting the exact same, except for Al Jazeera,
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — A U.S. Air Force jet carrying one pilot crashed in Iraq on Monday, the military said. The F-16CG was supporting coalition ground forces when it went down about 1:35 p.m., about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad in Anbar province, the military said in a brief statement that contained no information about the cause of the crash or the fate of the pilot.
Mohammed Al-Obeidi, an Iraqi who lives in the nearby town of Karmah, said he saw the jet flying up and down erratically before it nose-dived and exploded in a farm field. He said other U.S. warplanes rushed to the crash site and were circling around it.
This is what Al Jazeera Says:
Muthana Shakir, an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad told Al Jazeera: “We got credible news saying at 2pm on Monday a US F-16 warplane was downed in al-Garma neighbourhood near the western Iraqi city of Falluja.”
“The warplane was downed over arable lands. Witnesses confirmed that the plane was fired on by gunmen’s rockets when it was flying on low altitude.”
William Caldwell, a US military spokesman, said he would be surprised if the jet was shot down as the F-16’s fly very fast and have not encountered any weapons capable of taking them down in Iraq.
A spokesman said that the aircraft was lost while it was flying in support of ground operations taking place in Fallujah.
I Say:
The western media is sceptical quoting anything that is not confirmed. But al Jazeera, which is a muslim middle-eastern TV station, is releasing info it believes is pretty credible. It remains to be seen what really transpired. One thing is certain: It wont be pretty if the jet was indeed shot down…
UPDATE:
December 1, 2006
Department of Defense officials announced today the identity of an Airman listed as duty status – whereabouts unknown.
Maj. Troy L. Gilbert was the pilot of an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon engaged in support of coalition ground combat operations that crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad Nov. 27.
Major Gilbert is assigned to the 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. and currently deployed to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq.
An investigation is ongoing.
