MoD halts Nimrod refuelling
Mid-air refuelling operations for the Nimrod fleet of aircraft have been suspended
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Saturday, 10, Nov 2007 10:09
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has suspended all mid-flight refuelling operations of its Nimrod fleet of planes over fuel leak fears.
A fuel leak in one of the planes flying in Afghanistan earlier this week resulted in an emergency landing. None of those flying on the plane sustained injuries but the entry of fuel into the aircraft's bomb bay raised safety concerns.
A spokeswoman for the MoD said: "During air-to-air refuelling on an operational mission, the crew observed a quantity of fuel spraying into the aircraft's bomb bay.
"Following initial investigation, and isolation of the air-to-air refuelling system, the aircraft was flown back to its original operating base for further engineering investigation," she added
The spokesperson denied that the fleet was being grounded and stressed that the move was precautionary. In September 2006, a plane crash, involving a Nimrod, claimed the lives of 14 soldiers. That incident is still being investigated by the MoD.
"As a precautionary measure air-to-air refuelling has been suspended for all Nimrod aircraft, until the results of a full investigation have been considered," she added.