(AP) – An Air Force Thunderbird jet crashed Thursday in Colorado just after a flyover at a graduation ceremony for Air Force Academy cadets where President Barack Obama had spoken.
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Obama said diplomacy was as important as military might and said the Syrian civil war exemplified that, requiring diplomacy that would include a transition away from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the pilot ejected from the plane.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, a team of F-16 Fighting Falcons, flies in formation in this undated handout photo from the USAF.
The Associated Press noted Obama – who pledged to end two wars and to avoid unnecessary conflict when he came into office in 2009 – is set to the address academy graduates at a time when new conflicts are emerging globally.
The Thunderbird F-16s have participated in the academy’s graduation ceremony for decades but none had ever before suffered an in-flight failure at the event, which is often attended by the President of the United States.
White House officials said Obama planned to discuss security challenges facing the USA and the role the next generation of service members will play in protecting the country. The pilot ejected about 15 miles south of the base. Peterson Air Force Base did not immediately return a phone call. He said the nation often found itself in the most danger when it was overextended or acted hysterically, and that USA power was limited.
Obama frequently travels around the world on the presidential plane, most recently to Vietnam and Japan.
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