A Tunisian F-5 fighter jet reportedly crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during an exercise Wednesday but its pilot was unharmed, the defense ministry said.
According the defense ministry, the F-5 jet disappeared from radar screens as it flew off the coast of Bizerte in northern Tunisia during a training exercise involving 10 Mediterranean states.
The pilot, who had ejected, was unharmed and was rescued by a Tunisian helicopter, defense ministry spokesman Mohamed Zekri told media.
The defense ministry added that, the purposes of the joint exercises are aimed at testing surveillance and air defense systems in the western Mediterranean as well as improving the coordination of air operations.
Tunisia’s air force for the first time ever, held joint exercises with Saudi forces this month.
The F-5 supersonic light fighter jet was designed in the 1950s by Northrop and Tunisia received its F-5 jets from the U.S. in the 1980s.
