An American F-16 fighter jet crashed into waters off the west coast of South Korea, encountering an "in-flight emergency," as reported by the news agency Yonhap. This incident marks the second crash involving the aircraft in slightly over a month. Fortunately, the pilot was successfully rescued, according to statements from the United States Air Force unit stationed in the country.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, encountered an "in-flight emergency" approximately 180 kilometers south of the capital Seoul. The aircraft subsequently crashed around 8:41 am (local time), as stated by the US forces in South Korea.

After ejecting safely, the pilot was successfully rescued around 9:30 am (local time) through a collaborative rescue operation involving South Korean and US officials, according to Yonhap. The US military reported that the pilot was conscious and had been transported to a medical facility for assessment.

The Korea Coast Guard informed AFP that the fighter jet crashed in the vicinity of Mokdeok island, situated off the west coast of South Korea.

The statement commended the collaborative efforts and close coordination between the United States and South Korea throughout the operation. Colonel Matthew C Gaetke, commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, expressed gratitude, stating, "We are very thankful to the Republic of Korea rescue forces and all of our teammates who made the swift recovery of our pilot possible."

The focus of the US forces has now shifted to the search and recovery operations for the aircraft, as stated by the military official. Information regarding the cause of the in-flight emergency will be withheld until thorough safety and accident investigations are concluded.

The incident unfolded off the coast of Gunsan, a South Korean city housing two primary air bases utilized by the US military in the country. This marks the third crash involving an American F-16 fighter jet in South Korea since May of the previous year.

In December, an American F-16 fighter jet crashed while engaged in a routine training exercise, resulting in the successful rescue of the pilot. This incident followed another crash that occurred in May during a routine training exercise in a farming area south of Seoul.

In that case, the pilot also ejected safely, and the accident did not result in any additional casualties. As a key security ally, Washington has stationed approximately 28,500 American troops in South Korea.

Image source: Reuters