Second Midair Incident In Two Days

The pilots of two Italian Air Force F-16s are safe after their jets collided in flight off the Sardinia coast Monday night. The planes were participating the international "Spring Slag 2006" drill near Decimomannu air base, near Cagliari.

Both pilots were able to eject, and were rescued immediately. Italy's AGI news service reports the pilots were not injured in the accident.

The two F-16 fighters (file photo of type, above) were five miles off Capo Ferrato participating in a night drill when the planes collided. An alarm alerted controllers in the control tower at Elmas as the planes dropped off of radar.

The aircraft were part of the 37th flight division, based in Trapani.

The accident in Italy occured just before another midair collision involving F-16s, this one involving planes flying for the Greek and Turkish air forces.

As Aero-News reported Tuesday, a Greek fighter dispatched to intercept Turkish aircraft patrolling an area disputed by the rival countries touched wingtips with one of two Turkish F-16s escorting an RF-4 reconnaissance plane.

The Turkish pilot was able to eject safely from his aircraft; the Greek pilot, however, is still missing after the encounter and is presumed lost.

On Wednesday, the Turkish government issued a statement blaming the Greek pilot for the accident, stating the pilot failed to follow ICAO rules of engagement that call for an intercepting aircraft to approach no closer than 1,000 feet to the target plane.

Such encounters between Greek and Turkish pilots -- whose countries are NATO allies, but longstanding rivals otherwise -- are reportedly common, with several such "mock dogfight" encounters reported over the disputed section of the Aegean.

FMI: www.aeronautica.difesa.it/int_site/default_int.asp