US F-16 fighter plane crashes off South Korean coast: pilot ejects

a Fighter plane United States F-16 The crash occurred on Wednesday in the waters of West Coast No South Koreanear Jackdaw Island. The pilot managed to exit the aircraft and was rescued a short time later, the news agency confirmed. Yonhap.

“a F-16 Fighting Falcon 8 is assigned toº Fighter Wing An emergency was experienced on the flight above Western Sea and crashed today at approximately 8:41 a.m.,” the US military said in a statement.

“The pilot ejected safely and was evacuated around 9:30 am. “He is conscious and was taken to a medical center for evaluation,” he added.

Appreciated the close cooperation with the statement South Korea During the rescue operation.

“We are very grateful to the Republic of Korea Defense Forces and all our colleagues who made the speedy recovery of our pilot possible,” said the colonel. Matthew C. GateCommander of the 8th Fighter Wing.

“We will now turn our attention to the search and recovery of the aircraft.”

“Information on the cause of the in-flight emergency will not be available until the conclusion of a full safety and accident investigation,” the statement said.

The unidentified pilot was conscious and taken to a medical center for evaluation, the Army said.

This is the third accident of A American F-16 fighter In South Korea from May 2023.

An American fighter plane crashed in December training exercise The US Army”In flight emergencies“That pilot was also rescued.

In May of last year, A American F-16 fighter The crash occurred during another training session in an agricultural area south of Seoul. The pilot ejected safely and there were no other casualties in the accident.

Washington is the most important companion of Seoul And some maintain 28,500 soldiers in South Korea to help protect it from the regime of Kim Jong-un’s nuclear-armed North Korea.

in the neighborhood Japan

The US military announced late last year that it was grounding its fleet of tiltrotor aircraft. V-22 Osprey After a fatal crash that killed eight American airmen.

devices Ospreythe creator Bell Helicopter And BoeingCan operate as a helicopter or as a fixed-wing aircraft.

Since its commissioning in 1989 A number of reasons have given rise to various controversies fatal accidents.

In late August 2023, three US Marines were killed in a crash Osprey In northern Australia.

In 2022, four US Marines died Norway Aboard this type of aircraft during some exercises of NATO.

Three other marines died in another accident in Australia In 2017. And in 2000, 19 Marines died while their Osprey Crashed in Arizona.

(With information from AFP)