Egypt – Two Saudi Pilots Eject Over Red Sea, Rescued With U.S. Help

Egypt – Two Saudi pilots ejected over the Red Sea on Friday after their fighter plane suffered a technical problem and were rescued with U.S. assistance, state media said.

“A plane of the F-15S type was stricken by a technical fault yesterday evening over the Red Sea and the two pilots were forced to use their rescue seats,” state news agency SPA quoted a defense ministry official saying.

“Praise be to God, the pilots were rescued in coordination with the American side, and the two pilots are in good health and high spirits,” the official said.

A U.S. defense official said earlier on Friday that the U.S. military rescued the two Saudi pilots in international waters by a helicopter from Djibouti after Saudi Arabia requested assistance.

Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of Arab and Gulf countries in the second day of a bombing campaign against Iran-allied Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen who are fighting against the Saudi-backed president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.‎