Air Force crew refueling plane saves pilot in emergency over ISIS territory
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A quick-thinking refueling plane crew saved a fighter pilot who faced having to eject over Islamic State territory.
The F-16 had been trying to refuel in mid-air when the pilot discovered a malfunction with his fuel system, which meant he could only fly for 15 minutes - nowhere near enough to reach safety.
Instead of leaving the pilot to cope with the emergency himself, the US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crew managed to escort him back to its base while refueling every 15 minutes to keep the jet in the air.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US Air Force commander Lt Col Eric Hallberg said: "Over 80% of his total fuel capability was trapped and unusable.
"Knowing the risks to their own safety, they put the life of the F-16 pilot first and made what could've been an international tragedy a feel-good news story.
The jet first ran into trouble when it connected to the KC-135 but was forced to disconnect after taking on 500lbs of fuel - just a fifth of the 2,500lbs it should have had.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After a second failed attempt to refuel, the pilot ran through a checklist and was able to tell the tanker crew about the fuel emergency.
The Air Force did not reveal where the incident took place or which country the F-16 pilot was from.
The tanker crew's actions may have saved the airman from a fate like that of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kassasbeh, who was shown being burned alive in pictures and video by IS extremists after he ejected and was captured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}