U.S. Pilot OK After Jet Crash in S. Korea

AP | 9/08/03

[kattracks]

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea Sept. 8 — An American fighter jet crashed into the sea during a training flight in South Korea Tuesday, and its lone pilot ejected safely, the U.S Air Force said.

The F16 belonging to the 35th Fighter Squadron was on a routine training mission in southern South Korea when it went down about 555 miles southwest of the Kunsan Air Base, the Air Force said in a news release. It said the cause of the crash was being investigated.

The plane "went down over water" and the pilot "looks OK," said 1st Lt. Herb McConnell, a spokesman for the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan base, about 90 miles south of Seoul on the western coast. The pilot's name was not released.

It was the fourth reported crash of U.S. military planes in South Korea, where the United States keeps about 37,000 troops.

[nicepaco]

Good news. Thank you.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Kunsan-by-the-Sea-san. My old base. I saw an F4 screw the pooch on approach there back in the early 70's. Not a reassuring sight since my BOQ was under the flight path.