Two United States Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets diverted to Shannon Airport on Saturday after one aircraft declared an emergency over the North Atlantic due to a fuel issue, The Irish Times reported.
Emergency Landing and Multi-Agency Response at Shannon Airport
The first fighter jet sought priority clearance after experiencing the fuel complication mid-flight. A second companion aircraft escorted the troubled jet toward the Irish coast. Shannon Airport’s Fire and Rescue Service immediately mobilized crews to holding points adjacent to the main runway. Simultaneously, the Irish Coast Guard and Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats based at Inis Mór in the Aran Islands and Kilrush, County Clare, were placed on standby along the Shannon Estuary.
The initial aircraft touched down safely at 4:34 p.m., with the second jet landing shortly afterward. Airport fire crews maintained their holding positions rather than following the aircraft down the tarmac. Both jets ultimately taxied to a remote parking stand at the facility.
Transatlantic Transit and Group Deployment Details
The diverted aircraft are understood to be stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Flight trackers and military observers indicate the jets were traveling as part of a larger contingent departing a Royal Air Force installation in the United Kingdom.
The squadron had recently departed RAF Lakenheath after arriving from a deployment in the Middle East on September 26. Saturday’s planned transatlantic crossing involved a total of 12 F-15 Strike Eagles accompanied by three aerial refuelling aircraft bound for the United States.
