US F-16 Fighter Jet Drops Fuel Tanks Into South Korean Lake

US Air Force F-16 jet dropped two auxiliary fuel tanks into a fresh water lake in South Korea after the pilot suspected an emergency to occur.

"The pilot abandoned the fuel tanks after detecting suspected problems with the fuselage. He unsuccessfully attempted to locate the tanks," an Air Force official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency Friday.

The fuel tanks fell on a fresh water lake at the Saemangeum Reclaimed Land in Gunsan, about 274 kilometres south of Seoul, however, no casualties have occurred.

The incident occurred last Wednesday. Currently officials are searching for the tanks to prevent an oil leak. Each tank contained some 360 gallons of fuel and measured 2 meters in length.

The incident occurred Wednesday morning, when an F-16 fighter belonging to the US Air Force's 8th Fighter Wing detached its two auxiliary fuel tanks.