IAF Chief Norkin orders investigation into 'drowned' fighter jets
The IAF will investigate how the airbase became flooded due to storm, causing million in damage to aircraft used there.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF, ANNA AHRONHEIMF-16 planes on the runway during the Blue Flag drill(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Israeli Air Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Amikam Norkin has ordered an investigation into the damaged fighters jets from last weeks floods, as Hatzor Airbase returned to full functionality following the incident.Norkin said that the incident “does not meet the standards of the IAF” and ordered the investigation to establish exactly what happened.On Monday, the IAF admitted its mistake for not moving all fighter jets from underground hangars ahead of intense rainfall last week, causing several F-16s to be damaged.50 million liters of rain fell on Hatzor in the South from 5 a.m.-5:30 a.m. last Thursday, flooding aircraft runways and two underground hangars, according to a senior IAF officer.Eight F-16 Sufa fighter jets were damaged by the rain – five of them with minor damage and three with significant damage, he said.The water levels reached 1.5 meters inside the hangars, and several mechanics needed to be rescued, Channel 12 reported.“At 5:00 a.m. on Thursday morning the base was dry, but within half an hour the base was flooded with 50 million liters of water,” an IAF officer said. “The water was causing even concrete walls to crumble.”
