2 military training planes collide in Qatar


Two Qatari military training planes collided in mid-air, but the pilots managed to eject safely, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

"During a training flight a collision occurred between two training planes and the pilots were able to safely get out by using the ejection seat," a statement on the ministry's Twitter account said. It did not say when the collision happened.

The ministry did not identify the types of aircraft involved in the collision.

Qatar, a small nation on the Arabian Peninsula, has been targeted by a four-nation boycott for over two years now over a political dispute.

Qatar is home to the massive Al-Udeid Air Base, which hosts U.S. Central Command's forward headquarters. U.S. Air Force officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lt. Col. Christine D. Millette of U.S. Air Force Central Command says American officials are "aware of the Qatari midair collision, but we have not been asked for support at this time."