Two armed US Predator drones crash in Iraq, Turkey
The
US Air Force recently lost control of two armed Predator drones in
separate incidents in Turkey and Iraq, a US military official said
Wednesday. The Predators were both carrying air-to-surface Hellfire
missiles when they crashed, but these were safely recovered along with
the aircraft. In the…
AFP
Two armed US Predator drones crash in Iraq, Turkey
US Air Force lost control of
two Predator drones, similar to the one pictured here on March 7, 2013,
in separate incidents recently in Turkey and Iraq, a US military
official said (AFP Photo/John Moore)
The Predators were both carrying air-to-surface Hellfire missiles when they crashed, but these were safely recovered along with the aircraft.
In the first case on October 17, a Predator crew reported a "lost link and subsequent crash while the Predator was flying southeast of Baghdad," military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said.
Local Iraqi police recovered the drone in the vicinity of Al-Kut. They returned the aircraft to US control and there were no injuries, Warren said.
Then on October 19, a different Predator "crashed" in southern Turkey, Warren said. Local media have said it came down in Hatay.
"The aircraft experienced mechanical failure. The Air Force in this case maintained positive control of the aircraft and brought it down safely in an unpopulated area," Warren said.
Again, the aircraft was returned to US control. Both incidents are under investigation.
The
United States is leading a 60-plus member coalition targeting Islamic
State jihadists in Iraq and Syria and has been carrying out frequent
warplane and drone raids for more than a year.
Turkey has permitted the United States to use a base at Incirlik in southern Turkey to conduct strikes against IS.
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