US F-35 Fighter Jet
On Sunday, a US Marine Corps fighter jet disappeared in South Carolina after its pilot safely ejected from the aircraft. US military officials have reached out to the public for assistance in locating the missing multimillion-dollar plane, according to a report by The Guardian.
The incident occurred when a Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from the F-35 Lightning II jet over North Charleston on Sunday afternoon following a mishap. Base authorities have been conducting a search in collaboration with federal aviation regulators in the vicinity of two lakes north of Charleston.
Joint Base Charleston, the primary organization involved, has issued a request for assistance from local residents. Their post on social media, specifically X (formerly known as Twitter), read: “If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center.”
We’re working with @MCASBeaufortSC to locate an F-35 that was involved in a mishap this afternoon. The pilot ejected safely. If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center at 843-963-3600.
— Joint Base Charleston (@TeamCharleston) September 17, 2023
Reacting to this news, local congresswoman Nancy Mace expressed her astonishment on X: “Now that I got that out of the way. How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device, and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?”
Now that I got that out of the way. How in the hell do you lose an F-35?
How is there not a tracking device and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) September 18, 2023
These fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, are valued at approximately $80 million each, as reported by AFP.
