The flight tracking data show the plane flew in a circular pattern in the air for a while, before it begun its descent for landing.
A Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, which acts as a flying gas Station for US military planes, issued a “7700” distress signal, declaring an in-flight emergency while flying over the Persian Gulf off Iran amid escalating Middle East tensions, the Flightradar24 data showed. The American aerial took off from the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before it’s signals were lost over Qatar.
The aircraft had reportedly been operating over the Middle East in support of ongoing military operations.
The flight tracking data show the plane flew in a circular pattern in the air for a while, before it begun its descent for landing. The exact cause of the emergency remains unclear, and there has been no official confirmation linking the incident to hostile action.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported on the disappearance, citing data from Flightradar24. There has been no statement from Iran indicating its involvement in the US military plane’s emergency.
🔴 یک فروند هواپیمای سوخترسان KC-135R نیروی هوایی ایالات متحده آمریکا که از پایگاه هوایی الظفره امارات برخاسته بود، در حین پرواز بر فراز خلیج فارس، کد اضطراری ۷۷۰۰ را مخابره کرد.
🔹ارسال این کد به معنای وجود یک وضعیت اضطراری و فوری است که نیاز به فرود دارد. pic.twitter.com/o3HBB660hs
— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) May 5, 2026
US military has also not issued any statement on the status of the plane.
In March, the US military lost a KC-135 in an Iranian attack in western Iraq. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group said it shot down the aircraft “in defence of our country’s sovereignty and airspace,” Reuters reported.
What is the KC-135 Stratotanker?
The KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aircraft powered by four turbofan engines mounted under swept wings and used mainly for aerial refuelling. The aircraft has a cargo deck above the refuelling system, allowing it to carry both passengers and equipment, and is used to transfer fuel to other aircraft mid-air. It has been part of the US Air Force’s operations for more than 60 years.
The aircraft allows fighter jets, bombers and other military planes to stay in the air longer and travel greater distances. It also supports aircraft from the US Navy, Marine Corps and allied countries.
The KC-135 is based on Boeing’s 367-80 design, which also led to the development of the commercial Boeing 707 passenger aircraft. Hundreds of KC-135 aircraft remain in service with the US Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
