Yesterday, a SyAAF MiG-21bis from No. 679 squadron operating from Hama AB and piloted by Col. Mohammad Sawfan "العقيد محمد صوفان" was shot down by rebels and subsequently crashed in Turkish territory nearby the borders; the pilot in question has successfully ejected but been arrested and taken to a hospital in Antakya.
The Fishbed pilot whom was suspended from flight some years back, was returned to service recently; it's believed this was his first sortie after suspension.
A recording for the last conversation between the pilot and the GC I received, clearly shows the pilot was dis-oriented due to a technical failure malfunctioned the compass first then the whole navigation system. After that the pilot couldn't recognize his way back to base -as requested by the GC- which put him under range of AAA of Ahrar Al-Sham rebels.
