An accident occurred on December 11 in the Yellow Sea involving an American F-16 fighter, and the pilot was able to successfully extract himself by following the emergency protocols that were in place before the crash.
Following the take-off from Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, located roughly 178 kilometres south of Seoul, the aircraft belonging to the 8th Fighter Wing was reported to have fallen into the waters at approximately 8:43 a.m., said the US military branch.
The Republic of Korea Maritime Forces have successfully recovered the pilot, and he is awake and stable. According to an announcement, he is being transported back to Kunsan Air Base, where he will undergo additional investigation and evaluation.
A military officer from the US stated that the South Korean Coast Guard and the Navy were two organisations that participated in the rescue mission.
The US Air Force did not provide additional information regarding the pilot’s condition. The service also stated that the cause of the mishap is unknown and that it will launch an inquiry into the matter.
This is the F-16 stationed in South Korea’s second crash of the year. A US Forces Korea (USFK) F-16 fighter plane crashed into farmland on May 6 close to Osan Air Base; the pilot managed to escape unharmed, and there were no reports of civilian casualties. The aircraft was largely wrecked when it fell into a field and caught fire.
