A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, often referred to as a “flying gas station” for its aerial refuelling capabilities, reportedly lost signal while flying over the Gulf region near the Strait of Hormuz after broadcasting a general emergency alert.
Flight-tracking systems showed the Boeing aircraft transmitting a 7700 squawk code, the international signal for a general emergency, before it disappeared from public radar near Qatar. According to reports, the aircraft was believed to be heading towards a military base at the time.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran despite the ceasefire following the recent West Asian conflict.
Reports said the aircraft disappeared over the Strait of Hormuz after making a descent and altering course towards Qatar. It was reportedly conducting refuelling operations over the Gulf when it transmitted the emergency transponder code 7700, which can be triggered by a range of situations, including a mechanical failure, onboard fire, medical emergency or an external threat.
Roughly an hour after the emergency code was detected on flight-tracking platforms, the aircraft’s transponder signal was lost, Gulf News reported.
It was initially unclear how many crew members were on board. According to US Air Force data, the aircraft is typically operated by a single crew member and features a cargo deck that can also accommodate passengers.
Though going off the transponder signal does not automatically confirm a crash, the combination of a 7700 emergency squawk code followed by the aircraft disappearing from radar has raised the possibility of a serious incident, reports suggest.
However, there have been no confirmed reports of debris, distress calls, rescue operations, or maritime alerts in the area.
Since the beginning of the West Asia conflict on February 28, Iran has reportedly downed multiple US military aircraft in the region in targeted attacks.
