F-16 jet crashes off South Korea, US pilot safe

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – A US F-16 fighter jet crashed Monday into waters off South Korea after the pilot ejected to safety.

The jet was on "routine training" when the incident happened in the Yellow Sea at around 8.43 a.m. local time (2343GMT, Sunday), Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

"Pilot has been recovered by Republic of (South) Korea Maritime Forces, awake and in stable condition. He is being returned to Kunsan Air Base where he will be evaluated further," teh US Air Force said. The pilot was assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing of the Air Force.

The F-16 jet had taken off from Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan of northern Jeolla province.

It was the second incident this year in and around South Korea involving an F-16 jet when one aircraft belonging to the US 51st Fighter Wing had crashed into farmland near the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi province, near the capital Seoul.

There are some 28,500 US forces deployed in South Korea under a bilateral defense pact.

Meanwhile, North Korea has condemned Seoul and Washington for staging joint military exercises since late October.

Pyongyang called it "futile" and "provocative" act that "will only hasten the South's destruction."