Lemoore, July 31 (AP) — A pilot successfully ejected and was safe after an F-35C fighter jet crashed near a central California naval installation on Wednesday, according to officials.
Around 6:40 pm, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office reported that a military jet had crashed and was ablaze, as shared in a social media post.
Upon arrival, deputies, firefighters, California Highway Patrol officers, and EMS personnel discovered the wreckage in a cotton field just north of Lemoore Naval Air Station.
The pilot, who had ejected from the aircraft, was located with a parachute in a nearby field, the sheriff's office stated. He was transported to a hospital for evaluation and is expected to be fine.
Firefighters utilized a bulldozer to create a path for fire engines to approach and extinguish the flames, the sheriff's office reported.
Naval Air Station Lemoore confirmed that the F-35C from the VFA-125 Rough Raiders crashed near the installation. The pilot was safe after a successful ejection, and no other personnel were affected, the installation stated in a social media release. (AP) NPK NPK
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