On Monday, the wreckage of an F-35 stealth fighter aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina was discovered after it crashed following the pilot’s safe ejection with a parachute. Authorities have labeled this incident as the third costly mishap in recent weeks.
The pilot ejected from the aircraft around 2 p.m. on Sunday near the outskirts of North Charleston, South Carolina, and safely deployed a parachute. Major Melanie Salinas reported that the pilot was transported to a local hospital and is currently in stable condition.
The identity of the pilot has not been disclosed to the general public. Officials located the wreckage pile about two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston on Sunday, which was the day of the incident. Rescue teams initiated recovery operations while advising residents to stay away from the area. In the U.S. “The Marine Corps” is taking responsibility for this incident.
F-35B Crash Prompts Safety Measures
Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lieutenant General Eric M. Smith, ordered the stand-down when officials located the wreckage of the lost F-35B Lightning II aircraft near the two lakes in South Carolina. According to a Marine Corps statement, this situation is being addressed to ensure that the service maintains a high standard of operational readiness for both pilots and aircraft.
According to the Marine Corps release, commanders will invest in strengthening the policies, procedures, and training for safe flight operations with their Marines.
Marine Corps Recent Incidents
No details were provided in the announcement about the two previous incidents. However, in August, three U.S. Marines were killed during a training exercise involving a V-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft in Australia, and a Marine Corps pilot lost his life when his fighter jet crashed near San Diego during a training flight.
Senior Master Sergeant Hyde Stevenson, a spokesman for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in the area, mentioned that the search for the F-35 in South Carolina began after improving weather conditions. Joint Base Charleston reported that the second jet landed safely.
Attention To The Search
The journey of the F-35B Lightning II jet commenced at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. This aircraft was part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and a member of the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron.
Authorities located the last known position of the aircraft near Joint Base Charleston, to the north of Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion. Two aircraft were flying together, but there is no evidence to suggest that one interfered with the other. As per authorities, the second aircraft safely touched down at Joint Base Charleston.
Following a period of adverse weather conditions in the area, Senior Master Sergeant Hyde Stevenson, a member of the division responsible for enforcing the law in South Carolina, deployed a helicopter to assist in the search for the F-35. This search operation was conducted near Beaufort, South Carolina, close to the coastal town of Beaufort, alongside another Marine Aircraft Wing aircraft.
Both the aircraft and pilot were associated with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, which operates near the coast of South Carolina.
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