Iran claims US F-35 Lightning II fighter jet declared mid-air emergency near Strait of Hormuz – What we know

Iran has claimed that a US fighter jet declared a mid-air emergency while flying near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday (May 10). It said that the aircraft, identified as Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, transmitted the emergency code 7700 – an urgent distress signal. This comes as tensions over the strategic waterway continue between Tehran and Washington. The US has not confirmed the incident.

According to the flight tracking data from FlightRadar24, the aircraft was heading towards the UAE airspace, flying over the Gulf of Oman. After being tracked near the UAE, the jet’s transponder went dark, which is a common practice during a military operation or after a safe landing. The cause of the emergency was not immediately clear.

Iranian Consulate General in Hyderabad, India said in a post on X, “A few minutes ago, a US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet transmitted the emergency code 7700 while flying over the Sea of ​​Oman.”

It added, “Sending this code means there is an urgent emergency situation that requires a landing.”

What is emergency code 7700?

In aviation, the emergency code 7700 is a universal transponder “squawk” code used by pilots to declare a general emergency. When a pilot enters this four-digit code into the aircraft’s transponder, it immediately alerts Air Traffic Control (ATC) and surrounding radar facilities that the aircraft requires priority handling and assistance. The code may be used for a wide range of issues, including mechanical failures, onboard hazards or as a precautionary measure.

Iran renews attacks across Gulf

The incident comes amid heightened military tensions in the region between the US and Iran, with Tehran launching fresh attacks in the Gulf. While cargo vessels were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE and Kuwait also reported drone attacks. This comes after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to target US sites in the Middle East and “enemy ships” if its tankers came under fire.

The United Arab Emirates on Sunday said that it intercepted two Iranian drones. “UAE air defence systems successfully engaged two UAVs launched from Iran,” the defence ministry said in a statement on X.

In a statement, Kuwait military reported a drone attack against the country at dawn. “At dawn today, the armed forces detected a number of hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace, which were dealt with in accordance with established procedures,” the general staff of the army said on X, without specifying the origin of the drones.

A commercial vessel was struck in Gulf waters on Sunday. The Qatari Defence Ministry said that a cargo ship was targeted by a drone in the country’s territorial waters. The incident resulted in a fire on board the vessel. “A commercial cargo vessel in the country’s territorial waters – northeast of Mesaieed Port – coming from Abu Dhabi, was targeted by a drone on Sunday morning. The incident resulted in a limited fire on board the vessel, with no reported injuries,” the Qatari ministry said on X.

Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that a bulk carrier was hit 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha by an “unknown projectile”.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Iran’s Fars news agency reported, citing a source, that “the bulk carrier that was struck near the coast of Qatar was sailing under the US flag and belonged to the United States.”

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.