A U.S. stealth-capable fighter jet has gone missing after an incident during flight, prompting an unusual appeal to the public to assist in locating the multimillion-dollar aircraft.
The incident occurred in the southeastern state of South Carolina on Sunday when the pilot flying the F-35 ejected following what U.S. authorities have referred to as a “mishap.” Fortunately, the pilot survived and was transported to a hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition. The pilot’s identity has not been disclosed.
However, the disappearance of the costly fighter jet has posed a significant challenge for the military.
Joint Base Charleston, responsible for the aircraft, has turned to the local population for assistance in locating the missing aircraft. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the base appealed to residents, saying, “If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center.”
Base authorities have revealed that they are conducting a coordinated search operation with federal aviation regulators in the vicinity of two lakes north of Charleston city.
The search effort has been further bolstered by the participation of a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division helicopter, which joined the operation after weather conditions in the area improved.
The second F-35 involved in the incident returned safely to Joint Base Charleston. Both aircraft and their pilots belonged to the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, based in Beaufort, situated not far from South Carolina’s Atlantic coast.
These fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, come with an estimated price tag of around $80 million each.
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