The U.S. military is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing F-35 fighter jet after a “mishap” off the coast of South Carolina on Sunday, Sept. 17. According to Joint Base Charleston, the Marine Corps pilot of the F-35 jet ejected from the aircraft safely and has been taken to a local medical center in stable condition as emergency response teams try to locate the jet.
On Facebook, Joint Base Charleston asked the public “to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues.” Officials are searching near Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, north of the base.
Meanwhile, the “mishap” has drawn criticism from lawmakers like Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-R), who in a post wrote, “How in the hell do you lose an F-35?”
According to an article on Military.com, the F-35B Lightening II is the Marine Corps version of the Joint Striker Fighter and is known for, among other things, its stealth capabilities. The F-35 can can fly without being seen by radars that most fighter jets can’t evade.
This was not only the aircraft accident on Sunday. During the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV, two pilots were killed after their planes collided during landing. According to a post on the Reno Air Racing Association’s Facebook page, the two pilots, identified as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing, were killed in the collision.
The RARA canceled the remaining races in light of the incident. The single-engines were a North American T-6 G and a North American AT-6B. No other injuries were reported.
Both incidents are under investigation.
