Military authorities have issued an appeal to the public, seeking assistance in the search for a missing Marine Corps F-35 fighter jet. The aircraft disappeared over South Carolina on Sunday due to an incident resulting in the pilot’s ejection.
Two prominent military bases in South Carolina, namely Joint Base Charleston and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, have joined forces in the concerted effort to pinpoint the whereabouts of the absent fighter jet. This particular aircraft, identified as an F-35B Lightning II, is presumed to have its last-known location near Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, situated to the north of Joint Base Charleston.
The pilot of the fighter jet was taken to an area medical center and is in stable condition after safely ejected from the aircraft Sunday night, Joint Base Charleston said in a Facebook post Sunday evening.
The F-35 was left in autopilot mode when the pilot ejected from the jet, Jeremy Huggins, a spokesperson for Joint Base Charleston, told NBC News in a story Monday, signaling there’s a possibility the aircraft could still be airborne somewhere.
In a tweet, Joint Base Charleston asked members of the public to call the base if they have “any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35.”
