Tunisian F-5 fighter jet crashes, pilot dead

Defense 1280px-northrop_f-5e_tiger_ii_assembly_line_1744-24.jpg

In the morning of October 6, 2020, Northrop F-5E Tiger fighter jet crashed in the region of Remada, Tataouine Province, southeastern Tunisia. 

According to Tunisian media, the pilot was killed. No other casualties are reported, as the aircraft crashed into the desert. 

“The cause of the crash remains, for the moment, unknown,” Major Mohamed Zakri, speaker of Tunissian Ministry of Defence, is quoted. 

According to the Ministry, the fighter crashed while carrying out an operational mission in the desert of Remada. 

The F-5 was introduced in 1972, and was retired or relegated to training use by the majority of its operators. 12 aircraft were operated by Squadron No. 15 of Tunisian Air Force before the crash, set to be replaced by General Dynamics F-16s currently on order.