Air force base locked down after fighter jets crash into each other mid-air

Four crew members were ejected from two Navy jets after they collided at an air show this weekend in Idaho, US.

Emergency crews responded after the two planes collided during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base.

One of the jets was filmed heading straight towards the other before the wings of the two aircraft became entangled.

Suddenly, four people suspended by parachutes emerged as the jets, still attached, plummeted to the ground and exploded.

Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho – which was involved in the planning of the air show – said all four pilots are safe.

Ms Sykes said the crash occurred off base and she did not see the incident, but saw the smoke afterwards.

The base said in a social media post that it was locked down following the incident.

Responders were called to the scene, and an investigation is underway.

An air show announcer told the Idaho Statesman: ‘We had four good parachutes. The crews were able to eject.

‘They’re located one mile south of where the smoke is. The parachutes came down.’

Multiple witnesses reported seeing the two planes collide and crash, and videos posted online showed four parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft plummeted to the ground near the base about 50 miles south of Boise.

Organisers said the popular air show, which includes flying demonstrations and parachute jumps, is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities.

The US Air Force Thunderbirds headlined the show both days.

The National Weather Service reported good visibility and winds gusting up to 29 mph around the time of the crash, so it’s unclear what caused the accident.