Saudi fighter jet crashes during exercise, killing crew on board

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A Saudi Arabian fighter jet F-15SA crashed during a training exercise in Khamis Mushait in the southern Asir region on Wednesday, killing two members of crew on board, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman of the Ministry of Defense, said that the crash resulted in the loss of the aircraft’s crew. The Ministry of Defense has launched an immediate investigation into the cause of the crash.

The Royal Saudi Air Force combat aircraft crashed in the training area of King Khalid Air Base at around 2:28 pm on Wednesday. Referring to the death of the plane’s crew, Brig. Gen. Al-Maliki said: “May God have mercy on them, I ask the God Almighty to accept them from the righteous martyrs and to bestow their families and relatives patience and solace.”

An investigation committee has begun probing the causes of the accident, he added.