Israeli pilot dies in crash landing
An Israeli fighter jet pilot died on Wednesday in a crash landing at the Ramon airbase in the Negev.
The plane’s navigator sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Both ejected from the F-16I aircraft, the Israeli military said in a statement. Israeli media outlets reported that the jet was returning from a bombing mission on the Gaza Strip.
The pilot was identified as Ohad Cohen Nov, a 34-year-old squadron deputy commander.
The reason why the two-member crew decided to eject from the jet, which was in the process of landing, remains unclear.
Haaretz reported that the aircraft caught on fire after the ejection.
Israel’s air force said it was investigating the crash.
“We have no specifics yet to offer. It happened while they were landing … An inquiry is ongoing to review the circumstances,” an Israeli military spokesperson told Defense News.
In 2010, two Israeli jet crew members were killed in a landing exercise.
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