Aircraft maintenance crews from Alaska and South Korea have repaired a U.S. F-16 fighter jet that made an emergency landing last week on a remote island in the Bering Sea. The jet flew out of St. Paul Island Thursday en route to Eielson Air Force Base.
The South Korea-based F-16 was headed to Alaska on May 19th to participate in an upcoming training exercise when an engine problem occurred. The pilot declared an in-flight emergency and landed at the St. Paul Island Airport.
The F-16 is assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing, out of Kunsan Air Base in the Republic of Korea.
A Kunsan base spokesperson said maintenance crews from Eielson and Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson joined up with a crew from Kunsan and repaired the jet earlier this week. But it couldn’t fly out because the island was socked-in by bad weather.
An Eielson spokesperson said Thursday the repaired F-16 and another that flew along with it were both on their way to Eielson for the training exercise .
The Kunsan spokesperson said the maintenance personnel who fixed the plane determined the aircraft’s engine ran low on oil.
The spokesperson added that 8th Operations Group Deputy Commander Lt. Col. James Divine thanked the residents of St. Paul Island for their hospitality and support while the jets and their pilots were awaiting repairs.
