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F-15C Pilot Killed In Collision Over Gulf Was From Tampa

Photo courtesy of the Council on American-Islamic Relations

Fighter pilot Ali Jivanjee, whose family lives in Tampa, died of injuries from the collision of two F-15 fighter jets over the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

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TBO.com

Published: February 22, 2008

TAMPA - The Air Force today identified a Tampa man, 1st Lt. Ali Jivanjee, as the pilot who died of injuries from the collision of two F-15 fighter jets over the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

Funeral services, following Muslim and military traditions, were held this afternoon in Thonotosassa, according to a news release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Tampa.

The Air Force did not identify the second pilot involved in the accident. He was released from the Eglin Air Force Base hospital Thursday and was in good condition.

A safety board has convened to begin investigating the collision, which occurred about 35 miles south of Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle.

Both pilots ejected from their single-seat F-15C Eagles after the collision and were located by rescuers Wednesday evening.

The jets, both assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin, were doing a routine air-combat training exercise.

Funeral services began at 1:30 p.m. at Sunset Memory Gardens in Thonotosassa, organized by Tampa's Muslim community and the American Legion, according to the release from CAIR.

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