http://www.boston.com/dailynews/227/world/U_S_warplane_accidentally_stra:.shtml

U.S. warplane accidentally strays into Syria as it flies toward Iraqi no-fly zone

By Associated Press, 8/15/2001 13:20

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) A U.S. F-16 warplane accidentally strayed into Syrian airspace for more than 20 minutes Wednesday as it flew toward northern Iraq to patrol a no-fly zone, the U.S. military said.

The F-16 flew through Syrian airspace unopposed, said Maj. Scott Vadnais, spokesman for the allied patrols over northern Iraq. Syrian planes did not intercept the aircraft and there was no immediate information as to whether the F-16 was monitored by Syrian radar.

The F-16 entered Iraq from Syrian airspace and later began its patrol of the no-fly zone, Vadnais said.

U.S. F-16 and F-15 fighters routinely take off from Incirlik air base in southern Turkey and fly north of the Syrian border before entering Iraq.

Vadnais said the flight over Syria was an accident.

''We want to make sure it never happens again,'' Vadnais said.

He said the warplane flew over Syria for 23 minutes, then entered Iraq 5 miles below the 36th parallel and turned north toward the no-fly zone.

For the past decade, U.S. aircraft have patrolled a no-fly zone above the 36th parallel to protect Kurds from the Iraqi air force. A separate no-fly zone in the south was established to protect rebellious Shiite Muslims.

Patrols over Iraq are normally several dozen aircraft. Vadnais said the aircraft that strayed over Syria was flying alone and was not with the main patrol group because it took off later than the other aircraft due to maintenance problems.

Iraqi gunners shot missiles at the U.S. patrols Wednesday, but did not hit any of the aircraft, Vadnais said. The planes did not fire back.

The shooting incident was the 70th time this year that Iraqi gunners have targeted U.S. aircraft.

On Tuesday, U.S. warplanes bombed a radar site in southern Iraq, the second such strike in less than a week.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001