According to a U.S. Air Force unit stationed in South Korea, a U.S. F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea off the country’s west coast on Wednesday. This marks the second crash of an F-16 in just over a month in South Korea. The F-16 assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing experienced “an in-flight emergency” and subsequently crashed, the unit stated.
The pilot ejected safely and was rescued approximately an hour later. The pilot is conscious and is being assessed at a medical facility. The commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, Colonel Matthew Gaetke, expressed gratitude towards the South Korean rescuers who aided in the recovery of the pilot. The focus has now shifted to locating and recovering the aircraft, according to the statement.
Gunsan, a city on South Korea’s west coast, is home to one of the two main air bases used by the U.S. military in the country. In December, another F-16 jet crashed during a routine training flight, and the pilot was also rescued.
Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Ed Davies
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