The U.S. Army has reported that one of its fighter jets, an F-16, crashed in the waters off the west coast of South Korea on Wednesday morning. The army confirmed that the pilot of the aircraft managed to survive after successfully ejecting from it.
In a statement, the U.S. Army indicated that the fighter jet experienced an emergency while flying over the West Sea (Yellow Sea) before crashing. The pilot was successfully rescued and was conscious when taken to the hospital for evaluation of his health condition.
Meanwhile, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the U.S. fighter jet went down in the waters near Gunsan, located 274 kilometers south of the capital, Seoul.
Gunsan is home to a base belonging to the U.S. Air Force, which operates this type of military aircraft. This incident marks the third crash of a U.S. F-16 fighter jet in South Korea since May 2023.
The United States maintains a presence of over 28,000 soldiers in South Korea, one of its key allies in the region providing it with a nuclear umbrella to safeguard against potential threats from North Korea.
