F-15 US Fighter Jet Crashes Near Japan
The US Air Force says the pilot survived the accident off the country's southernmost Okinawa island after ejecting safely.
11:43am Tuesday 28 May 2013
A US F-15 jet fighter in flight
The accident happened 70 miles from Okinawa
An American F-15 fighter jet crashed into the sea after its pilot ejected from his plane off the coast of Japan.
The US Air Force said the pilot survived the accident off the country's southernmost Okinawa island.
A spokesman said: "A Kadena-based F-15 aircraft developed a problem that ultimately resulted in the pilot ejecting from the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean approximately 70 miles (110km) east of Okinawa.
"US and Japanese rescue crews are responding to recover the pilot, who reportedly ejected safely and is in contact with rescue crews."
The statement added that the cause of the incident would be investigated.
Japan's coastguard said it was involved in the rescue.
"We sent airplanes and patrol ships to the scene after we received a call for help from Kadena Air Base," an official told the AFP news agency.
"We heard the pilot, the only person who was aboard, parachuted down and is safe, hanging on to something in the sea."
Okinawa is the reluctant host to more than half of the 47,000 American service personnel in Japan.
The crimes, noise and risk of accidents associated with their bases regularly provoke irritation locally.
