Pilots escape death in military jet collision
Published:Wednesday | August 31, 2011 | 12:00 AM
VILNIUS (AP):
Two military jets collided above Lithuania during a NATO exercise yesterday, but one managed to land and the other crashed in an unpopulated area after its two pilots ejected. No serious injuries were reported.
The collision of the Lithuanian and French aircraft occurred near the Zokniai air base in northern Lithuania, home to NATO jets patrolling the skies over the Baltic countries.
The French Mirage fighter was only "lightly damaged" and landed safely at the air base, NATO said.
Successful ejection
The Lithuanian pilots successfully ejected from their L-39 Albatros jet after the collision at 10:30 a.m. local time (0730 GMT), according to NATO.
"The two Lithuanian pilots walked away from the crash without serious injury and are currently under medical supervision," the military alliance said in a statement.
The pilots catapulted themselves out of the L-39 combat training aircraft after aiming it toward an unpopulated area to avoid casualties on the ground, Lithuanian defence chief Arvydas Pocius told reporters in the capital, Vilnius. They returned to service after medical checks, he said.