F-16 Jet Crashes in Islamabad

TEHRAN (defapress) – A Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 aircraft crashed in Islamabad during the rehearsals of the March 23 parade, a spokesperson for the force said on Wednesday.

News ID: 80476

Date: 11 March 2020 - 11:50

Rescue teams have been dispatched towards the site of the crash, he said.

A board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident, the statement said.

“Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF F-16 aircraft crashed near Shakarparian, Islamabad during the rehearsals of 23rd March parade,” said the statement, The News International reported.

There were no immediate reports of causalities in the incident.

Last month, a trainer aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed near the city of Mardan. A Mirage aircraft had crashed near Shorkot city of Punjab's Jhang district the week before.

According to a press release, the PAF trainer aircraft crashed on a routine training mission near Takht Bhai. The pilot safely ejected the aircraft before it fell.

The PAF said the aircraft that crashed the week before had been used for training by the air force and crashed on a routine operational training mission. The official added that no loss of life was reported in the accident.

Moreover, in January, two PAF pilots were martyred after a training aircraft crashed near the M M Alam Base in Mianwali. According to an air force spokesperson, the PAF FT-7 aircraft was also "on a routine operational training mission" when it crash-landed near Mianwali.

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