Ukrainian Air Force Reports Loss Of Contact With F-16 Jet, Pilot Ejects

2025-05-16 05:05:20

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The Ukrainian Air Force reported the loss of contact with an F-16 fighter jet in the early hours of Friday, May 16. The pilot successfully ejected.

According to a statement posted by the Air Force Command on Facebook , contact with the F-16 was lost at around 03:30 while the Ukrainian fighter jet was carrying out a mission to repel a Russian aerial attack.

Preliminary reports indicate that the pilot successfully downed three airborne targets and was engaging a fourth using the aircraft's onboard cannon when a technical malfunction occurred. The pilot managed to steer the aircraft away from a populated area before ejecting.

Thanks to the swift response of a search-and-rescue team, the pilot was quickly located and evacuated. His condition is reported as stable; he is in a safe location and faces no threat to his life or health, the Air Force said.

Read also: Fire breaks out in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district following drone attack

A commission has been appointed to investigate the incident and has already begun its work.

Earlier reports said that a Su-27 fighter jet was lost on April 28 during a combat mission, with the pilot also successfully ejecting.

MENAFN16052025000193011044ID1109557506

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.