Historic solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2 crashes into Gulf of Mexico

WASHINGTON: The experimental solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2, which made history by completing a round-the-world journey without using jet fuel in 2016, has crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, its owner confirmed.

The aircraft Solar Impulse 2, was originally flown by Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg during its landmark global mission, in which it travelled around 26,700 miles (43,000 kilometres) across four continents, two oceans and three seas in 17 stages without consuming any fuel.

In 2019, the aircraft was sold to Skydweller Aero, which later converted it into an autonomous drone platform.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company said the aircraft had taken off from Stennis, Mississippi on April 26 and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico on May 4 during what it described as a “controlled ditching”.

The company said the mission achieved a new endurance milestone before the incident.

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“Ultimately, a record-breaking flight of 8 days and 14 minutes validates the reality of perpetual, solar-powered flight in a military mission-relevant environment,” the statement said, referring to a United States Navy exercise in which the aircraft was being used.

The aircraft had been repurposed for surveillance and defence-related operations aimed at demonstrating long-endurance solar-powered flight capabilities.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board said it had launched an investigation into the crash.