Washington: Seven sailors were injured on Monday after a pilot of the US F-35 fighter jet crashed on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier. The US Navy said in a statement that the incident happened in the South China Sea during a routine flight operation.
“An F-35C Lightning II, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, had a landing mishap on deck while USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) was conducting routine flight operations in the South China Sea, Jan. 24, 2022. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft and was recovered via US military helicopter,” the US Pacific Fleet said in the statement.
“The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft and was recovered via U.S. military helicopter,” it said. “The pilot is in stable condition. There were seven total Sailors injured.”
The statement said three of personnel required evacuation to a medical facility in Manila and four were treated by on-board the carrier and released. It said all the personnel evacuated were assessed as being in stable condition.
The Navy said the cause of the “inflight mishap” was under investigation.
The F-35 jet is made by Lockheed Martin.
The Pentagon said two U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Groups, led by the Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln began operations in the South China Sea on Sunday. The carriers entered the disputed sea for training as Taiwan reported a new Chinese air force incursion at the top of the waterway.
