Ghana Air Force jet loses fuel tanks in flight but lands safely

Accra , Ghana (PANA) - A Ghana Air Force (GAF) jet on Tuesday lost two fuel tanks over the capital, Accra, while on a routine training flight, but the pilot landed the plane safely at the Air Force base in the city, the Ghana Armed Forces said.

The Director of the Public Affairs of the GAF, Colonel M’bawine Atintande, said that two fuel tanks of the K8 jet trainers fell off the aircraft during a routine training flight on Tuesday morning.

He said the cause of the incident could not be immediately ascertained until investigations were carried out.

There was no casualty or loss of property and the fuel tanks have been recovered.

The aircraft has two additional external fuel tanks for longer range endurance flights and these were the tanks that fell off during the training exercise.

The K8 is an advanced jet trainer jointly designed and produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC).

Ghana acquired four of the jets as a trade-off for a Gulfstream presidential aircraft.
-0- PANA MA/VAO 17July2012