美国中央司令部6月22日称，美国空军一架U-2侦察机在返回位于阿拉伯联合酋长国的基地途中坠毁，随机飞行员身亡。外电报道如下：A U.S. Air Force U-2 spy plane involved in a mission in Afghanistan crashed while returning to its base in the United Arab Emirates, killing¹ the pilot, the military said Wednesday.

U.S. Central Command said the crash occurred in "southwest Asia," a term that can be a substitute for the Middle East.

"The Airmen of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing mourn the loss of a true American hero in the service of his country," said Col. Darryl Burke, the unit's wing commander.

The wing has been based at the al-Dhafra air base near Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, since early 2002. The wing flies various types of aircraft, including aerial refueling tankers². It was visited in August by Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint³ Chiefs of Staff.

Crash表示“碰撞，坠落，坠毁”，例如：Their car crashed into a guardrail.（他们的车撞上护栏。）The airplane crashed over the ocean.（飞机在海洋上坠毁。）作为形容词，crash还表示“应急的，快速的”，例如：a crash program（应急措施）。

据悉：U-2高空侦察机绰号“黑寡妇”，可在七万英尺的高空飞行、照相、使用雷达侦察及截听通讯。1960年，一架U-2在原苏联境内被击落，飞行员侥幸逃生后被原苏联抓住并被判入狱。这起事件导致美国和原苏联关系一度紧张。