UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK; EDITS THROUGHOUT
By Iclal Turan and Merve Berker
WASHINGTON / ANKARA (AA) – Emergency teams rushed to the site of a military fighter jet crash near the airfield at the Albuquerque International Sunport, the main international airport in New Mexico, officials said on Wednesday.
The accident left the pilot seriously injured, who was located and transported while the fire was extinguished, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) said on X.
Local media outlet KOB4 said the pilot – who ejected before impact – is recovering at the UNM Hospital.
The fighter jet crashed and burst into flames just before 2 p.m. Tuesday. Albuquerque Fire Rescue and Bernalillo County firefighters battled the fire, but they needed help from Kirtland Air Force Base.
“We carry 500 gallons of water on our apparatus and small foam tanks, but it’s no match for a jet fuel fire of that scope,” said Lt. Jason Fejer with AFR.
Investigation is under way to identify the reason of the incident, the fire service said.
Footage captured at the crash site seemed to depict a military fighter aircraft, although the specific model of the plane has not been officially confirmed.
According to KOB4, Lockheed Martin confirmed that an F-35B crashed off the airfield on the south side of the airport after a refueling stop at Kirtland Air Force Base.