National Defense

Marine Corps Finds Wreckage Of Missing $80 Million F-35 Fighter Jet After Sunday ‘Mishap’

A KC-130J Super Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 demonstrates an aerial refuel with an F/A-18D Hornet with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242 and F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 during the 42nd Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force – Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Friendship Day at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, May 5, 2018. Since 1973, MCAS Iwakuni has held a single-day air show designed to foster positive relationships and offer an exciting experience that displays the communal support between the U.S. and Japan. The air show also encompassed various U.S. and Japanese static display aircraft, aerial performances, food and entertainment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Deseree Kamm)

The U.S. military identified late Monday debris from an F-35 fighter jet that went missing near North Charleston after its pilot ejected on Sunday, according to a statement.

A “mishap” occurred around 2 p.m. on Sunday that involved two Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jets, forcing one pilot to eject after the pilot switched on an unspecified autopilot system, officials said, adding that there initially appeared no sign that the jet crashed, officials said, local outlet News19 reported. Officials at Joint Base Charleston, however, could not locate the roughly $80 million advanced fighter for hours and asked the public to provide any information that might help recovery teams find the errant jet, according to a statement.

“Emergency response teams are still trying to locate the F-35. The public is asked to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues,” Joint Base Charleston said in the statement Sunday night.

The first pilot landed his jet safely at Joint Base Charleston. The pilot who ejected was found and taken to an area hospital, where he was in stable condition at the time of the latest update, the base said in the statement.

“The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft. We are currently still gathering more information and assessing the situation. The mishap will be under investigation,” a spokesperson for Headquarters Marine Corps told the Daily Caller News Foundation Monday morning.

Search teams found wreckage of the jet in Williamsburg Country about two hours north of Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston said in an emailed statement at 7 p.m. Monday. The base warned community members to avoid the area while personnel secured the debris.

“The mishap is currently under investigation, and we are unable to provide additional details to preserve the integrity of the investigative process,” Joint Base Charleston said, adding that control of the incident probe would transfer to the U.S. Marine Corps.

We’re working with @MCASBeaufortSC to locate an F-35 that was involved in a mishap this afternoon. The pilot ejected safely. If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center at 843-963-3600.

— Joint Base Charleston (@TeamCharleston) September 17, 2023

Based on the aircraft’s last known location before disappearance, the military focused search efforts on Joint Base Charleston near Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, according to the first statement.

The aircraft belonged to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, which has ties to both Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort in Beaufort, South Carolina and MCAS Cherry Point near Havelock, North Carolina.

MCAS Beaufort, the 2nd MAW out of MCAS Cherry Point, Navy Region Southeast, the Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Air Patrol and several law enforcement agencies joined in the search, Joint Base Charleston said in the Monday statement.

A South Carolina Law Enforcement Division helicopter joined the recovery efforts after bad weather cleared from the area, The Associated Press reported, citing Senior Master Sgt. Heather Stanton at Joint Base Charleston.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated.