A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing in South Korea, crashed at approximately 8:43 a.m., local time, Dec. 11, 2023.
The pilot from the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base ejected over the Yellow Sea and was recovered by Republic of Korea Maritime Forces awake and in stable condition.
He will be evaluated further at Kunsan AB.
“We are grateful for the safe recovery of our Airman by our ROK Allies and that the pilot is in good condition,” said Col. Matthew C. Gaetke, 8th FW commander.
The cause of the in-flight emergency is unknown and the incident will be thoroughly investigated. Further details regarding the incident will not be made available until the conclusion of the investigation.