Israel is investigating a health scare among pilots of its most advanced warplanes.
Military officials said Sunday that they grounded many of the Air Force’s F-16I warplanes following pilots’ complaints that they felt a burning sensation in their sinuses during flights.
Initial indications are that formaldehyde, a potentially carcinogenic drug, is in the breathing apparatus of the jets.
Lockheed Martin, the American firm that produces the F-16, has joined Israeli officials in investigating the scare.
The F-16I is Israel’s most advanced warplane, with long-range attack capabilities that would make it a key player in any future war with Syria or Iran. Israel has more than 80 of the aircraft.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
