The Israeli Air Force failed to retrieve from the sea parts of an F-16i fighter jet that crashed off the Gaza coast earlier this month. The IDF said it has sought help from the US in order to further advance the extraction of the aircraft’s remains.
Two airmen were lightly injured after ejecting safely in the July 7 crash, while flying a training mission 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Strip.
On Sunday, the IDF is expected to accompany a US ship intended to assist in the extraction of the plane’s wreckage, which lies at a depth of 300 meters (1,000 feet) under sea level.
The operation is being conducted in order to determine what exactly caused the technical malfunction in the plane’s engine, which ultimately lead to its crash.
The pilot and navigator succeeded in safely ejecting from the aircraft before it hit the water. They were later rescued by the Air Force’s 669 search and rescue unit and were airlifted to Tel Hashomer Hospital outside Tel Aviv where they underwent medical inspections and treatment.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the
terms
Stuart Winer contributed to this report
Watch Docu Nation Season 2: Resilience
when you join the ToI Community
Support The Times of Israel's independent journalism and receive access to our documentary series, Docu Nation: Resilience, premiering December 12.
In this season of Docu Nation, you can stream eight outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show how resilience, hope, and growth can emerge from crisis.
When you watch Docu Nation, you’re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.
To learn more about Docu Nation: Resilience, click here.
Support ToI and get Docu Nation
Support ToI and get Docu Nation
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel eleven years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
