Sunday 7th July 2013 – Gaza Coast:

The instructor pilot and trainee of an F-16i from the Israeli Air Force ejected during a training mission around 50 km off the coast of Gaza on Sunday.

According to an IAF spokesman, the single engine of the F-16i shut down after a malfunction. Despite restart attempts, the engine did not re-light, and the crew ejected and were rescued around an hour later.

As a precautionary measure, the IAF has grounded all F16i and F15i aircraft (using the same Pratt and Whitney jet engines) until a root cause has been determined.

A supplied image shows wreckage reportedly from the jet being recovered to a Navy vessel.

LINKS:
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/F-16-crashes-into-sea-Airmen-eject-safely-319021
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/10165344/Israeli-F16-crashes-into-sea.html