US fighter jet crashes off coast of South Korea; pilot rescued

KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — A U.S. Air Force fighter jet crashed into the waters off South Korea’s southwestern coast on Wednesday, officials said. The pilot safely ejected from the F-16 aircraft.

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According to a news release from Kunsan Air Force Base in South Korea, the F-16 assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing experienced an “in-flight emergency” over the West Sea, crashing at approximately 8:41 a.m. local time.

The pilot was recovered at about 9:30 a.m. Officials said the pilot was conscious and was taken to a medical facility for an assessment.

The base did not release the pilot’s name or reveal any additional details about his condition, CBS News reported.

“We are very thankful to the Republic of Korea rescue forces and all of our teammates who made the swift recovery of our pilot possible,” Col. Matthew C. Gaetke, 8th Fighter Wing commander, said in a statement. “Now we will shift our focus to search and recovery of the aircraft.”

It was the second F-16 crash in less than two months, according to The Associated Press.

The 8th Fighter Wing experienced an F-16 crash in December, the news organization reported. Officials said the pilot experienced problems during a routine training flight.

The pilot ejected from the F-16 before being safely recovered, according to the AP.

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