An F-16 fighter jet from the Ohio Air National Guard was forced to drop two fuel tanks over Michigan after suffering an emergency incident.
CBS reported that one of the fuel tanks released landed in Lake Huron in Iosco, resulting in an explosion.
The other tank landed in the Baldwin Plaza parking lot, which includes a Save-a-Lot and a Tractor Supply.
Police reported that neither fuel tank injured bystanders, but vehicles in the Baldwin Plaza parking lot sustained minor damages.
Detriot News reported that the Oscoda Airport received a distress call from the aircraft before the tanks were released but never heard from the F-16 again.
Iosco County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed the F-16 returned safely to Toledo without further incident.
A tank of jet fuel exploded and another landed in a parking lot after they were dropped by a fighter jet flying over Michigan from Toledo. https://t.co/asHPnyIgx8
— Local 4 WDIV Detroit (@Local4News) August 1, 2024
Per CBS:
An F-16 fighter jet from the Ohio Air National Guard landed safely in Ohio after having an emergency while flying over Michigan. The jet needed to drop two fuel tanks, one of which exploded in a lake.
At about 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, the Iosco County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an explosion in the area of Baldwin Resort Road near Lake Huron, according to a release.
Law enforcement authorities discovered two F-16s from the 180th Fighter Squadron in Toledo were operating in the area. One had declared an emergency and dumped two full external fuel tanks.
One of the tanks landed in Lake Huron and exploded, while the other landed in the Baldwin Plaza parking lot, which includes a Tractor Supply, Sav-a-lot, and a Michigan Secretary of State location.
There was minor damage to a few vehicles, but no one was injured, according to the sheriff’s office.
An F-16 fighter jet had an emergency while flying over Michigan and needed to drop two fuel tanks. One exploded in a lake, and the other landed in a parking lot. https://t.co/x1ld0QrcUv
— CBS Detroit (@CBSDetroit) August 1, 2024
