Syrian fighter jet crash lands in Turkey

It was unclear why the aircraft had crashed, whether it had been attacked or suffered technical failure. A Syrian opposition group has claimed it shot down a regime aircraft

A part from the wreckage of a Syrian military plane is seen after it crashed near Turkey-Syria border in Hatay, Turkey on March 5, 2017 [Cem Genco / Anadolu Agency]

A press member records the wreckage of a Syrian military plane after it crashed near Turkey-Syria border in Hatay, Turkey on March 5, 2017 [Cem Genco / Anadolu Agency]

A part from the wreckage of a Syrian military plane is seen after it crashed near Turkey-Syria border in Hatay, Turkey on March 5, 2017 [Cem Genco / Anadolu Agency]

People view the wreckage of a Syrian military plane after it crashed near Turkey-Syria border in Hatay, Turkey on March 5, 2017 [Cem Genco / Anadolu Agency]

A part from the wreckage of a Syrian military plane is seen after it crashed near Turkey-Syria border in Hatay, Turkey on March 5, 2017 [Cem Genco / Anadolu Agency]

Syrian pilot, Muhammad Sufhan, is seen after he was found following a nine-hour search after his fighter jet crashed in Hatay, Turkey on March 05, 2017 [Stringer / Anadolu Agency]

56-years-old Syrian pilot, Muhammad Sufhan, receives medical treatment at a Turkish state hospital after he was found following the crash of his fighter jet in Hatay, Turkey on March 05, 2017 [İsmihan Özgüven / Anadolu Agency]

A Syrian air force pilot who bailed out as his fighter jet crashed on Turkish territory has been found by a Turkish rescue team and is being treated at a hospital in the Hatay region, a hospital spokeswoman said on Sunday.

Dogan news agency said the pilot, who crashed his plane on Saturday, had been found around 40 km (25 miles) from the wreckage. He was first taken to a gendarmerie base and then to hospital.

The 56-year-old pilot was identified as Mehmet Sufhan by medical staff at the hospital, and they said he was not in critical condition despite some fractures in his spine.

Television footage showed security measures had been taken around and inside the hospital.

Syrian state television quoted an army source on Saturday saying the air force had lost contact with a fighter jet on a mission near the Turkish border. It gave no details.

It was unclear why the aircraft had crashed, whether it had been attacked or suffered technical failure. A Syrian opposition group has claimed it shot down a regime aircraft.

Combat operations by many militia and government forces come close to Turkey’s long frontier with Syria.

Turkey has been one of the foremost critics of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and supports rebels fighting him in the country’s six-year-old war. It currently has armed forces involved in operations along the Syrian side of the frontier.

Syrian state media said on Saturday its forces had been expanding control over former Daesh-held villages in northwest Syria, an area close to Turkey’s Hatay region where the aircraft crashed.

The army’s gains follow a push to the south and east of the city of al-Bab, which was captured by Turkish-backed rebels late last month.

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