Saudi Arabia fighter jet crash kills crew

Cause of accident during a training operation is being investigated, says defence ministry

A Royal Saudi Air Force combat aircraft crashed during a training mission on Wednesday. AFP

A Saudi fighter jet crashed on Wednesday during a training mission in Khamis Mushait, killing all its crew, state news agency Spa reported.

The number of crew members was not immediately clear and the crash was under investigation, according to the defence ministry.

“One of the Royal Saudi Air Force combat aircraft of the type (F-15SA) fell during a training mission in the training area of King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait on Wednesday evening,” ministry spokesman Brigadier General Turki Al Maliki said in a statement.

An investigation committee has begun investigating the incident, he added.

He offered condolences to the families of the victims.

In November, a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15S fighter jet crashed owing to a “technical malfunction during a routine training mission”.

The aircrew, consisting of two officers, survived the crash by using their ejector seats.