Axis correspondent, Vera Gottlieb (Germany) asks:

"What are this Israeli plane and 2 Israeli pilots doing in Colombia? Fighting drug trafficking?"

An Israeli-made combat aircraft has crashed in Colombia while conducting a test flight.

The new Kfir airplane burst into flames on Monday after it skipped off the runway while attempting to land near the city of Cartagena.

The Israeli pilots of the aircraft escaped the incident unharmed. The plane was completely destroyed.

The reason for the crash was not immediately clear. Initial investigations, however, suggest that a technical malfunction caused the all-weather, multi-role combat aircraft to lose control.

Israel's Aerospace Industries has sent a technical team to the South American country to investigate the incident.

The Kfir plane was first delivered to Colombia in 1989 after they were retired Israel's use.

HE/SC/MMN

Press TV