Find Parachute on East Bank of Canal, Seen As Indication of Air Space Violation

The rear brake parachute of an Egyptian MIG jet fighter was found by Israeli forces on the East Bank of the Suez Canal today. It was believed to have come from one of the Egyptian MIGs that Israeli jets chased out of Israel-held air space in an encounter over the Suez Canal yesterday. Military authorities said it was proof that the Egyptian aircraft had tried to penetrate the skies over Sinai, probably on a reconnaissance mission. They conceded that the Israeli jets might have violated Egyptian air space in pursuit. The Israeli pilots jettisoned their reserve fuel tanks to increase their speed and the tanks apparently fell on Egyptian territory.

Cairo charged yesterday that Israeli jets had violated Egyptian air space and claimed that two planes were shot down and a third hit by Egyptian fighters. Israeli authorities said the Egyptian claim was “sheer nonsense.” They said the Israeli aircraft had blocked an intrusion by the Egyptian jets and returned safely to their bases.

Lt. Gen. Odd Bull, chief of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, said today that air-to-air missiles were fired in the encounter. Apparently no losses were sustained by either side. He said truce observers had established that three Egyptian MIGs and three Israeli Mirage fighters were involved.

Military sources said that the brake parachute may have dropped from the Egyptian plane because of a pilot’s error or because the plane was hit by Israeli fire. They said the encounter did not amount to an air battle but that the Israeli pilots fired short bursts at the Egyptians who turned and fled.