Carcinogen grounds Israeli jets

Mar 21,2008 00:00 by UPI

JERUSALEM - Israel grounded all F-16I fighter jets Friday after formaldehyde, a carcinogenic material, was found in one of the plane's cockpits.

IAF Commander Eliezer Shkedy ordered the jets grounded for examination after pilots complained of a strong chemical smell, Haaretz reported.

Although the substance was only found in one of the planes' cockpits, Shkedy grounded all F-16I jets pending a thorough investigation.

The F-16l is manufactured by U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.