US F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes Near San Diego, Pilot Ejects Safely

SRINAGAR: A US Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego on Friday. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft, while the crash caused a brush fire, military officials said.

The aircraft, assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Aircraft Group 11, crashed at around 10 a.m. local time near the air station. The US Marine Corps described the incident as an “aircraft mishap”.

First Lieutenant Blake Starbuck told Fox News that the crash was a “Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of MCAS Miramar”. He said the pilot ejected safely and was recovered after the aircraft crashed.

Officials said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Starbuck said it was not immediately clear what the aircraft was doing at the time of the crash or whether it was taking off, landing or on a training mission. He also said there was no immediate information about any injuries or deaths connected to the incident.

Footage broadcast by SkyRanger 7 showed the wreckage lying in two large sections in the middle of a burnt field. Flames and thick black smoke could be seen rising from the crash site north of State Route 52, with the fire visible to drivers on the nearby highway.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department helped control the brush fire caused by the crash. Officials said the military is in charge of the crash site and will conduct the investigation.