Two F-15 fighters collide over Gulf of Mexico

Two F-15 fighter jets are reported missing in the Gulf of Mexico, CNN affiliates report. U.S. Coast Guard searching.

MOBILE, Ala.) Feb. 20 -- The U.S. Coast Guard in Mobile says it is actively searching Gulf waters for two F-15 Fighter Jets reported missing from Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle.NBC15 News has been told the search was launched after the jets apparently lost radio contact with the tower at Eglin.The search is being conducted about 30 miles south of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico. Jets and helicopters have already been dispatched to the area by the Coast Guard and ships are also on the way.

All remaining US Air Force Boeing F-15A-D Eagles have been returned to flight, contingent on completion of individual inspections on each aircraft's fuselage longerons.

The USAF does not expect any of the 149 aircraft to require repair and says there will be no operating restrictions on Eagles that pass these final inspections. But all F-15A-Ds will require repetitive checks for longeron cracks every 400 flying hours

It was one of two F-15's from that wing that were engaged in a combat training mission against two F-16's from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, he said.NYTimes.com

The pilots of two F-15C fighter jets that collided Wednesday over the Gulf of Mexico have been rescued, authorities said.