By David Blair 4:16PM BST 22 Jun 2012 | The Telegraph
Syrian air defences “shot down” the Turkish jet fighter that went missing while on patrol
near the border between the two countries on Friday, according to local television reports.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=98525359_2256263b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/98525359_2256263b.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The F-4 Phantom, a fighter bomber with a pilot and navigator on board, disappeared over the
Mediterranean. All radar and radio contact with the aircraft was lost shortly after it departed from
Erhac air base in Turkey's southern province of Malatya.
Some reports suggested that the Phantom's crew were rescued from the Mediterranean,
supposedly in international waters, off the Turkish province of Hatay. CNN Turk reported that
both men had been found alive.
But Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanon-based television channel, said that Syrian air defences had shot down
the plane, allegedly while it was flying over the country's territory.
Turkey is a member of Nato, meaning that it could invoke Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty and
summon the aid of all 28 countries in the alliance if it comes under attack. Turkey's government is
a strident critic of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and tension has risen along the land border
between the two neighbours.
A series of shooting incidents has taken place across this frontier so far this year. The Free Syrian
Army, a rebel alliance fighting to overthrow Mr Assad, has a strong presence inside Turkey. The
Turkish air force, one of the strongest in the region, conducts regular patrols through the highly
sensitive airspace near Syria.
Syrian air defences “shot down” the Turkish jet fighter that went missing while on patrol
near the border between the two countries on Friday, according to local television reports.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=98525359_2256263b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/98525359_2256263b.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The F-4 Phantom, a fighter bomber with a pilot and navigator on board, disappeared over the
Mediterranean. All radar and radio contact with the aircraft was lost shortly after it departed from
Erhac air base in Turkey's southern province of Malatya.
Some reports suggested that the Phantom's crew were rescued from the Mediterranean,
supposedly in international waters, off the Turkish province of Hatay. CNN Turk reported that
both men had been found alive.
But Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanon-based television channel, said that Syrian air defences had shot down
the plane, allegedly while it was flying over the country's territory.
Turkey is a member of Nato, meaning that it could invoke Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty and
summon the aid of all 28 countries in the alliance if it comes under attack. Turkey's government is
a strident critic of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and tension has risen along the land border
between the two neighbours.
A series of shooting incidents has taken place across this frontier so far this year. The Free Syrian
Army, a rebel alliance fighting to overthrow Mr Assad, has a strong presence inside Turkey. The
Turkish air force, one of the strongest in the region, conducts regular patrols through the highly
sensitive airspace near Syria.
