Alaska - Saba:
US Air Force pilot survived a single-seat F-35 fighter jet crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday.
Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, told reporters that the pilot experienced a "flight malfunction" but was able to eject safely from the plane.
He added that the plane crashed during the "landing phase" at Eielson Air Force Base.
Townsend explained that the pilot declared an emergency before the accident occurred, and that he is now in stable condition and undergoing examinations at a medical institution.
A statement from the US Air Force said that the accident occurred at approximately 12:49 p.m. and caused "significant damage" to the plane.
Townsend stated that the pilot was participating in a routine training exercise in local airspace when the accident occurred, stressing that the Air Force will conduct a "comprehensive investigation with the aim of reducing the chances of such accidents recurring in the future."
The F-35 is a long-range, supersonic fighter with advanced camouflage capabilities and, with the ability to fly for more than 12 hours at a time, can reach any point in the Northern Hemisphere on a single mission.
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