Amidst the ongoing war in the Middle East, the US Air Force’s KC-135 Strato tanker has suddenly come into the limelight. This aircraft, which is called Flying Gas Station because of its ability to fill fuel in the air, disappeared from the radar after sending an emergency signal during the flight. After this many questions have arisen.
According to flight-tracking data, the Boeing KC-135 telecasted squawk code 7700 near Qatar, an international emergency signal. It is used when the aircraft is facing a serious situation. Shortly after this the plane disappeared from radar. It is believed that at that time it was moving towards a military base.
Last location and possible reasons
According to the report, the plane lost its altitude and lost signal over the Strait of Hormuz after turning towards Qatar. It is also being said that the aircraft was on an air-to-air refueling mission over the Gulf at that time. 7700 code can be triggered due to many reasons, such as technical fault, fire, medical emergency or any external threat.
completely disappeared after an hour
According to Gulf News, about an hour after the emergency code appeared, the plane’s transponder signal stopped completely. However, mere loss of signal does not confirm an accident, but its occurrence after an emergency alert raises concerns. So far there has been no official confirmation of any wreck, distress call, rescue operation or marine alert. It is also unclear how many crew members were on board, although the KC-135 is typically operated with a limited crew.
Why is this matter important?
The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil supply. Any military or technological incident in this area can have an impact not only at the regional but also at the international level. In such a situation, the sudden disappearance of KC-135 is considered important from both security and strategic point of view.