US Refueling Plane Crashes Near Hotly-Contested Kyrgyzstan Air Base

[FarCenter]

The Kyrgyzstan emergencies ministry says a U.S. Boeing K-135 Stratotanker, used to refuel military aircraft, has crashed near an American air base in the country.

...

The Tulip Revolution that toppled Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev from power had no immediate affect on the mission, but the country's new president demanded more money for allowing the military to continue its presence there.

Though U.S. forces remained, the State Department received a formal eviction notice in 2009.

Days later Russia announced $2 billion in loans and $150 million in aid to Kyrgyzstan. Experts believe the compensation from Moscow was dependent upon U.S. expulsion from the country.

To retain use of the base U.S. officials upped the annual rent payment from about $17 million to $60 million and agreed to another $117 million in payments.

Realizing that ridding the region of a U.S. military presence was simply a matter of cash, the Chinese government allegedly offered Kyrgyzstan $3 billion.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-k-135-plane-crash-at-kyrgyzstan-air-base-2013-5

[Blue_Tires]

1. more info:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22397266

Yahoo reports the pilot bailed out and rescue is searching for him?
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/plane-us-airbase-crashes-kyrgyzstan-ministry-093048852.html#shhzD9R

For those who read Cyrillic:
http://www.kabar.kg/kyr/inced/full/43348

[MineralMan]

2. It's notable, I think, that the story says nothing

about the crewmembers on that plan and whether they survived the crash. I guess that doesn't matter.

[FarCenter]

3. No people found at site of KC-135 crash in Kyrgyzstan

The fragments of the plane, which are scattered around an area of one kilometre, are still on fire.

http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/726367.html

The distribution of the wreckage would appear consistent with reports of a mid-air explosion.

Normal crew would be 3 or 4.

[MineralMan]

4. Other stories do mention the crew. Just not

this one from Business Insider, which I find interesting. That's all.

[Blue_Tires]

5. The search is ongoing

the plane went down in a mountainous region

[MineralMan]

6. Not my point. My point is that

the source used for this post said absolutely nothing about the crew. Business Insider apparently doesn't think that's worth mentioning at all. I find that more than a little alarming.

[Blue_Tires]

7. yeah, it's just shitty news copy...

the yahoo and BBC links are better....

[KoKo]

8. "Business Insider" is a business web site. So, they focused on the

business aspect of the crash considering we are spending billions on Afghanistan War.

Why would you find a Business Site...alarming?

[MineralMan]

9. Because the fate of the crew of that unarmed

refueling plane should be of concern to anyone, even people in business. Don't you think so?