FRIDAY FOTO (JUNE 3, 2011) Update

Desert Mirage

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Theresa Seng

U.S. Marines hook chains to recover a downed French Dassault F-2000 Mirage D aircraft in the Bakwa District of Afghanistan recently. An M88 Recovery Vehicle was needed to drag the jet away from the fuel-saturated crash area.

The jet crashed near Farah in western Afghanistan May 24 after experiencing an apparent mechanical malfunction. Enemy fire was not to blame, according to French military officials, who said the two-person crew ejected without injury and were recovered without incident.

The Mirage went down in an area overseen by Italian troops who accompanied French and U.S. Army troops as well as the the Marines on the 81-mile recovery patrol. Marines from the Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2nd Marine Logistics Group took the lead on the May 27 mission.

After securing dangerous flares from the downed aircraft, the Marines also removed the jet’s wings with C-4 explosives charges — to make it easier to transport the aircraft overland.

To see a slideshow of photos about this recovery operation, click here.

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Updates with details of jet crash and search operation for the aircraft.