A near miss at an Israeli airbase: Drama unfolded at the Ramat David Airbase when an F-16 fighter pilot received clearance from the control tower to take off. While accelerating to 250 km/h, the pilot spotted another fighter jet directly in front of him. At the last possible moment, the pilot shut off his engine and managed to steer the jet away.
In a video of the incident revealed on Monday, the surprised fighter pilot is heard asking the control tower: “Did you see that jet on the Runway? This is very serious.”
The Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Office responded to the incident by saying, “A collision between two fighter jets was narrowly avoided during takeoff due to an erroneous clearance issued by the control tower, while another aircraft was still on the runway. The teams responded swiftly and professionally, preventing a severe safety incident. The incident will be investigated, and no property damage or injuries were reported.”
Originally appeared in Israel Hayom.
