F-15E Eagle crashes in Libya, crew rescued
Libyan villagers who saw the crash of a U.S. warplane say the fighter jet was spinning as it came down into a field.
The plane’s body is mostly burned to ash, with only the wings and tail fins intact. U.S. officials say the two-man crew ejected and both were safe in American hands.
The F-15E Strike Eagle jet was conducting a mission Monday night against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s air defenses when it crashed at 2130 GMT (5:30 p.m. EDT), said Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Africa Command.
It came down near Bu Mariem, about 24 miles (38 kilometers) east of Benghazi.
“I saw the plane spinning round and round as it came down,” said Mahdi Amrani, who rushed to the scene with other villagers.