A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker reportedly triggered an emergency alert after transmitting squawk code 7700 while flying over the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional tracking data and aviation sources.
The aircraft, which had been airborne for several hours, was said to be conducting aerial refueling operations over the Gulf when it issued the “7700” transponder code, an internationally recognized signal indicating a general in-flight emergency. Following the alert, the aircraft reportedly began descending and altered its course toward Qatar.
BREAKING: Flightpath of the US KC-135R Stratotanker before signal loss over the Strait of Hormuz, with the aircraft descending while squawking general emergency and heading toward Qatar. Currently unclear if it crashed or landed.
Powerful regional-level AIS/GPS jamming and… pic.twitter.com/jr7alJEUtj
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) May 5, 2026
Flight tracking data suggested the KC-135 later disappeared from radar coverage while still over the Persian Gulf region. Some reports indicate that two helicopters departed Al Udeid Air Base shortly after the emergency signal, possibly in response to the situation.
Unconfirmed regional reports also pointed to GPS interference in the area, including signs of jamming and spoofing, which have previously been observed in the region amid heightened tensions.
Roughly an hour after the emergency code was first detected, the aircraft’s transponder signal was lost while heading toward Qatar, where U.S. forces frequently operate from forward-deployed bases.
