US confirms pilot died in spy plane crash
The pilot of a US Air Force U-2 spy plane died in a crash while returning to a base in southwest Asia, the military said today.
The cause of last night’s crash was under investigation, US Central Command said in a statement.
The pilot was flying a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, it added. The military did not immediately release the location or circumstances of the crash. Officials also withheld the name of the pilot pending notification of relatives.
“The Airmen of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing mourn the loss of a true American hero in the service of his country,” said Colonel Darryl Burke, the unit’s wing commander.
The wing has been based at the al-Dhafra air base near Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, since early 2002. The wing flies various types of aircraft, including aerial refuelling tankers. It was visited last August by General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Burke appointed an interim investigation board to determine the cause of the crash. It was not clear when the results of the investigation would be completed.
The Central Command’s statement used the term southwest Asia, which can be used as a substitute for describing the Middle East. It added that it could reveal the location of the crash.
“The specific location is not releasable due to host nation sensitivities,” US Air Force Captain David W Small, a Central Command spokesman said.
