An air-to-air view of two F-15 Eagle aircraft armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis
NBC: Two British skydivers in free-fall were nearly struck by U.S. fighter jets
The parachutists "could clearly see the F15s passing beneath," according to a safety board report.
Two parachutists in the skies over England had a close brush with U.S. fighter jets that roared under them during a jump earlier this year, U.K. government aviation officials said.
The skydivers were in freefall, traveling at about 120 mph vertically, on April 17 when a pair of American F-15s flew directly under them at about 345 mph, according to the U.K. Airprox Board, the national air safety investigation body, in a report that recently surfaced.
The jumpers were carrying out the jump over Chatteris Airfield, about 90 miles north of London.
"Once the parachutists had seen the F15s there was very little they could do to avoid the situation, having no control over their speed or direction whilst in free-fall," the report found.
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WNU Editor: Too bad these skydivers did not have a go-pro to film the incident. It would have hit millions of views on YouTube.
