Eva Deschamps / January 25, 2022
Seven sailors were injured Monday when an F-35 fighter jet failed to land on a US Navy aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, the US military said.
This F-35C Lightning II, a stealth fighter-bomber, was attempting to land on the USS Carl Vinson during a routine mission, according to a U.S. Navy statement in the Pacific.
The pilot of the plane, who was able to eject before being recovered by a helicopter, is in stable condition.
Of the seven injured sailors, three were evacuated to Manila, Philippines, and are also in stable condition, according to the US Navy.
It did not specify what happened to the aircraft, nor the cause of the accident, and said it had opened an investigation.
The USS Carl Vinson, the USS Abraham Lincoln and their battlegroups began maneuvers Sunday in the South China Sea, one of the main points of friction between the Chinese and Americans in the region.