Two U.S. jets flew dangerously close to an Iranian passenger plane over war-torn Syria, forcing the pilot to take emergency action and sparking panic on board, Iranian authorities said on Friday.
The U.S. military said of Thursday’s incident that an “F-15 on a routine air mission... conducted a standard visual inspection of a Mahan Air passenger airliner at a safe distance of approximately 1,000 metres”.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement after Iranian state television aired amateur footage of passengers on board screaming as the Mahan Air jetliner appeared to change course suddenly. Another video apparently shot on a phone appeared to show at least two fighter jets flying beside the plane.
In an initial report accompanying the footage, the state broadcaster said the military aircraft were believed to be Israeli.
“After this dangerous action by the Israeli fighter, the pilot of the commercial plane quickly reduced the altitude of the flight to avoid colliding with the Israeli fighter, injuring several passengers on board,” it said.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said the Mahan Air pilot made contact on the radio with two U.S. fighter planes, and that the aircraft later landed safely in the Lebanese capital.
