F-16 Breaks Up in Mid-Air near Gaza, Pilot and Navigator Rescued

Israel Air Force rescue crews have brought to safety the pilot and navigator of an "F-16i" training fighter jet that  broke up off the coast of Gaza Sunday afternoon after its engines mysteriously died.

The pilot, a training instructor, and the navigator who is is training, ejected themselves safely and parachuted to the sea, approximately 30 miles off the Gaza coast. They were able to send a distress call before they ejected, and they were rescued from the sea after approximately one hour

The military had clamped a gag order over the incidents for several hours, and no additional information is available except that all F-16i and F-15i training  planes have been grounded until an investigation is completed.

The Gaza region is particularly sensitive this week because of the tension in Egypt and terrorist activity in the Sinai Peninsula, immediately south and east of Gaza.