US rescues Saudi airmen from water south of Yemen

Status of 2 soldiers, reasons why they ejected from F-15 fighter jet over Gulf of Aden, still unclear

Illustrative - an undated photo of a US warship as it crosses the Gulf of Aden. (Kristopher Wilson/US Navy/Wikimedia Commons/File)
Illustrative - an undated photo of a US warship as it crosses the Gulf of Aden. (Kristopher Wilson/US Navy/Wikimedia Commons/File)

WASHINGTON — A Defense Department official says US forces rescued two Saudi airmen after they ejected from an F-15 fighter jet over waters south of Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is leading airstrikes against Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

The official says a US helicopter flew Thursday from neighboring Djibouti to the Gulf of Aden and rescued the airmen. Initial reports said the rescued airmen were “ambulatory.”

The destroyer USS Sterett took lead of the situation after Saudi Arabia requested US assistance Thursday afternoon, coordinating assets from the US naval base in Djibouti and the amphibious transport dock USS New York.

The official, who was not authorized to discuss the operation by name and requested anonymity, had no information on the two airmen’s status or why they ejected from their plane.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.

Most Popular
read more:
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.