The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon while the pilot was flying over South Carolina.
The pilot, whose identity remains undisclosed, successfully ejected from the aircraft and deployed a parachute, ultimately landing safely. Reports indicate the pilot is in stable condition and receiving medical attention in a hospital.
Joint Base Charleston, a US military facility, issued a plea through its verified X account, collaborating with Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. They stated, '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.'
The search operation is primarily focused north of JB Charleston, covering areas around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion based on the last-known position of the jet. Federal aviation regulators are also involved in the search.
The F-35 is renowned as one of the world's largest and most expensive weapons programs."
