The Air Force said the flight crew of a C-130 transport ferrying passengers had to make an emergency landing in a barren field northeast of Baghdad International Airport on June 27. Details were sketchy, but USAF said in a release that same day, the incident occurred at about 1:45 p.m. local time. All crewmembers and passengers were accounted for and were taken to nearby Sather Air Base, for evaluation and any treatment. Reuters reported June 27 that the C-130 had 38 people onboard, including six crew and 32 passengers. USAF said there was no indication of any hostile fire in the incident, and Reuters reported Air Force officials suspected mechanical issues. An investigation will ensue. Damage to the aircraft has not been determined, USAF said.
The Pentagon is significantly bolstering airpower near Venezuela, dispatching the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to Latin America, it said in an Oct. 24 statement. The announcement came just hours after U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers and other U.S. assets flew near the Venezuelan coast on Oct. 23.
