The incident involved one Royal Air Force’s Airbus 330 tanker returning from Afghanistan.
The UK’s fleet of brand new “Voyager” aerial refuelers has been grounded after a tanker, bringing 181 military to Afghanistan, suffered an incident in Turkey’s airspace.
Based on the first reports, the Royal Air Force’s modified Airbus 330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) was overflying Turkey on Sunday night, when it suddenly plummeted 2,000 feet.
A few passengers received minor injuries hence the aircraft performed an emergency landing at an unspecified divert field in Turkey.
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The UK’s MoD decided to suspend the flying activitiy of all its Voyager aircraft until the incident is investigated.
Considered that the VC-10 tanker was retired in September 2013, the only remaining tanker aircraft in RAF service is the venerable Lockheed Tristar used for dual transport/tanker role; the type of aircraft that the Voyager was due to replace.
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