Rescuers find US marine pilot after Japan jet crash

Rescuers said they have found a US military pilot who went missing after his fighter jet crashed off the coast of Japan.

TOKYO: Rescuers said they have found a US military pilot who went missing after his fighter jet crashed off the coast of Japan, but his condition was not immediately clear.

The unnamed pilot ejected from the Marine F/A-18 before it plunged into the Pacific on Wednesday evening, setting off a major search and rescue operation.

Japan's defence ministry said Thursday it found the airman and handed him over to the US military. 

But when asked if the pilot was still alive, a ministry spokesman said that "we don't have that information".

Earlier Thursday, Japanese and US rescuers said they had expanded their search following the accident, which happened some 90 kilometres (56 miles) off the coast of southwestern Kochi prefecture.

Japan dispatched four ships and eight planes to assist in the rescue operation, it said.

Another jet was also flying on the same mission, Japan's defence ministry said.

The crashed plane is assigned to the US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, one of the main US military bases in Japan, which hosts tens of thousands of US military personnel.

The accident comes as US defence secretary Ashton Carter visited Japan as part of his last Asian tour.

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The New Indian Express
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