Controller made frantic bid to stop bombing in Kuwait

A US air controller frantically tried to abort a bombing mission in Kuwait when he realised he had directed a pilot to attack a military observation post.

But the warning came too late and the plane dropped a 500 pound bomb "on or near" the observation post near the border with Iraq.

Five American servicemen and a New Zealand major were killed.

US officials said a forward air controller mistakenly directed the Hornet's bombing and tried too late to call it off.

Some reports said the ground controller was a member of the Navy, but officials said they could not immediately confirm that.

The Pentagon identified the Hornet pilot as Commander David Zimmerman, who commands the VFA-37 Hornet squadron aboard the carrier USS Harry S Truman, on patrol in the Gulf.

Mr Zimmerman has more than 3,000 flying hours.

The Hornet was participating in live-fire "close air support" for ground troops at the Udairi bombing range when it dropped explosive ordnance, the US Central Command said.

Those killed and injured apparently were in the target area, but it was unclear what went wrong.