Officials are investigating the crash of a U.S. F-16 fighter jet that went down in the Pacific after taking off from a base in Japan. The pilot ejected and was rescued after six hours in the water.
The F-16 with the 35th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base crashed Sunday about 250 miles off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island.
Officials at Misawa said Thursday that an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way. The aircraft was en route to Alaska.
The pilot, who has not been identified, ejected safely and was retrieved after about six hours by a combined Japanese and U.S. rescue mission. Base officials say he is in stable condition.
