Military officials searching for F-35 fighter jet in South Carolina after ‘mishap’ forces pilot to eject
Sep 18, 2023, 6:15 AM
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II performs a demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show in 2017. (Michel Euler/AP/File)
(Michel Euler/AP/File)
(CNN) — The military is searching for an F-35 fighter jet near Charleston, South Carolina, after its pilot ejected Sunday afternoon, according to military officials.
The pilot ejected safely after a “mishap” involving the jet and was taken to a local medical facility in stable condition, Joint Base Charleston said in a Facebook post.
Emergency response teams are now working to find the aircraft, an F-35B Lightning II jet.
The aircraft’s last known position was near Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, two large bodies of water northwest of the city of Charleston, according to Joint Base Charleston, which asked for the public’s help finding the aircraft.
“The public is asked to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues,” Joint Base Charleston officials said.
The jet belongs to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, a unit focused on training pilots to meet annual training requirements, according to the unit’s website.
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