▲ A U.S. F-16 fighter jet takes off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) US fighter jet-crash

(2nd LD) U.S. F-16 fighter jet crashes in Yellow Sea; pilot rescued: U.S. military

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from U.S. military; CHANGES headline)

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. F-16 fighter jet crashed in the Yellow Sea on Monday during routine training and the pilot was rescued by South Korean authorities after ejecting from the aircraft, the U.S. Air Force said.

The jet assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing took off from Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, 178 kilometers south of Seoul, and experienced an "in-flight emergency" over the waters at approximately 8:43 a.m. before its crash, according to the U.S. military branch.

"The pilot has been recovered by Republic of Korea Maritime Forces, awake and in stable condition. He is being returned to Kunsan Air Base where he will be evaluated further," it said in a release.

The South Korean Coast Guard and the Navy were involved in the rescue operation, according to a U.S. military official.

The U.S. Air Force did not provide further details on the pilot's condition, adding that the cause of the accident is unknown and that it will conduct an investigation.

In May, an F-16 of the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing crashed into farmland near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. At the time, the pilot escaped safely and no civilian casualties were reported.

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