US Loses Its Latest F-35B Fighter and Seeks Assistance in Search Efforts

The United States is attempting to locate its downed F-35B stealth fighter in South Carolina. According to Joint Base Charleston, the incident forced the pilot to eject.

“We are working with the Marine Corps Beaufort Air Station to locate the F-35 aircraft that crashed around noon today,” the statement reads.

As reported by the Associated Press, the crash involved an F-35B aircraft belonging to the 501st Fighter Training Squadron of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. Preliminary reports indicate that the pilot has been transported to a nearby medical facility, where doctors have assessed their condition as stable.

It is worth noting that military officials have reached out to local residents for assistance, asking potential witnesses to the crash to share information that could help locate the aircraft. Search efforts are concentrated around Lakes Multrie and Marion in the central part of the state.

According to open source data, the cost of such an aircraft exceeds one hundred million dollars.