News Desk

The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) is reporting that a British fighter jet crashed at around 1515 local time (1315 GMT) on the runway of the British Base of Akrotiri in Cyprus, on the south coast, near Limassol town.

The pilots managed to eject from the aircraft and are currently being treated for non life-threatening injuries.

British Bases Spokesman Stewart Bardsley confirmed that ''there has been an incident involving a military aircraft in RAF Akrotiri'' and that ''there have been no fatalities as a result of the accident.''

''The pilots ejected from the aircraft and are currently being treated for non life-threatening injuries. The aircraft was from 20 squadron. It is an RAF squadron and was here on a training exercise and obviously the nature of the incident will require a very serious and significant investigation,'' he said, adding that ''the incident happened approximately at 1515 local time today.''

Bardsley said the injuries of the pilots are ''non life-threatening, however they are being treated,'' adding that there are ''no civilian casualties.''

He noted that ''the area has been obviously sealed off because it is subject to further investigation.''

''The actual details of the accident are still being investigated. I cannot comment whether there was a huge blaze,'' he concluded.

Britain has retained two military bases in Cyprus, after the country gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1960. Akrotiri is said to be the largest overseas air base the UK has.

photo credit: RAF 

info of story from CNA