Saudi Arabia denies plane shot down

Manama

Saudi sources have dismissed claims that Al Huthi militiamen have shot down a Saudi fighter in Yemen and recovered two missiles.

“The claims lack credibility and are not at all true,” the sources said.

“What the Yemenis saw was merely a disposable external fuel tank that the plane released by the plane on its way back to the base. It is a routine action that the pilot did on the way back,” the sources revealed on Sunday.

Media reported that a Saudi jet had been reportedly shot down in northwestern Yemen as clashes near the Saudi Arabia-Yemen destroyed frontier crossing.

The F-16 fighter jet, flown on behalf of the Saudi-led coalition pounding Shi’ite Houthi rebels in Yemen, was brought down in Bani Harith district of the northern part of capital Sana’a.

“Saudi F16 jet shot down in Bani Hareth, Sana’a. Pilot missing, Al Houthis seize TWO unused missiles,” a local site posted on its Twitter account.

Online media also posted pictures of fuel tank that belongs to the Royal Saudi Air Force and a plane on fire.

However, bloggers said that the tank was an F-15 External Fuel Tank and was not part of an F-16. Other bloggers said that Saudi Arabia did not have any F-16s and that its fleet of combat aircraft consisted of Panavia Tornados, F-15s and Euro Typhoons.