A pilot was
forced to eject from a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet while
attempting to land aboard the USS Carl Vinson as the carrier steamed north
toward the
Korean Peninsula on Friday, according to the U.S. Navy.
Crews quickly
rescued the unnamed pilot who wasn't hurt, the officials said. The Carl Vinson
was in the Celebes Sea at the time, south of the Philippines.
The
single-seat jet, from the VFA-137 Kestrels squadron, was conducting
"routine flight operations" before it crashed, according to a
statement from the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet. It did not specify
exactly when the pilot ejected, and the cause of the crash was unclear.
Navy officials
have said the Carl Vinson, intended as a show of force to North Korea, will
arrive in the region next week. The carrier has been making its way from
Singapore to the Sea of Japan since last week, making stops in Asia along the
way.
Top U.S. officials
have described the deployment as a message to North Korea as it conducts
missile tests, and may be planning a nuclear test.
"The
incident is currently under investigation. The pilot is being assessed by the
medical team on board USS Carl Vinson and there are no apparent injuries at
this time," the 7th Fleet added.
The United
States periodically sends aircraft carrier strike groups to waters near the
Korean Peninsula to project power. The Carl Vinson took part last month in the
U.S.-South Korea war games.
The Carl
Vinson is accompanied by two guided-missile destroyers and a cruiser with Aegis
combat systems to track and intercept missiles.
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