That is the third crash of an American F-16 fighter jet in South Korea since Could 2023 (Representational)
Seoul:
An American F-16 fighter jet skilled an “in-flight emergency” over the West Sea off South Korea and crashed early Wednesday, the US army stated, including the pilot had been rescued.
“An F-16 Preventing Falcon assigned to the eighth Fighter Wing right here skilled an in-flight emergency over the West Sea and crashed at roughly 8:41am (2341 GMT) at present,” the army stated in a press release.
“The pilot ejected safely and was recovered at round 9:30 am. He’s aware and was transported to a medical facility for evaluation.”
The assertion hailed the shut cooperation with South Korea through the rescue operation.
“We’re very grateful to the Republic of Korea rescue forces and all of our teammates who made the swift restoration of our pilot potential,” stated Colonel Matthew C. Gaetke, eighth Fighter Wing commander.
“Now we are going to shift our focus to go looking and restoration of the plane,” he added.
“Data on the reason for the in-flight emergency is not going to be made obtainable till the conclusion of thorough security and accident investigations,” the assertion stated.
The Korea Coast Guard advised AFP the fighter jet had crashed close to Mokdeok island, which is off South Korea’s west coast.
That is the third crash of an American F-16 fighter jet in South Korea since Could 2023.
A US F-16 fighter jet crashed in December throughout a routine coaching train after experiencing what the US army stated was “an in-flight emergency”. That pilot was additionally rescued.
In Could final yr, a US F-16 jet crashed throughout a routine coaching train in a farming space south of Seoul. The pilot ejected safely and the accident brought about no different casualties.
Washington is Seoul’s most necessary safety ally and stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to assist shield it from the nuclear-armed North.
In neighbouring Japan, the US army introduced late final yr that it was grounding its fleet of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor plane following a lethal crash that killed eight US airmen.
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