A United States Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker landed safely on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, after declaring a general in-flight emergency while operating over the Persian Gulf near the coast of Qatar. Flight-tracking data indicated the aircraft transmitted a distress signal before its transponder signal was lost.
The aerial refueling aircraft, frequently referred to as a “flying gas station,” had departed from Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates earlier that day. Data from Flightradar24 showed the tanker entering a…




