The United States military has sought the public’s assistance to try and locate one of its F-35 fighter jets after the pilot ejected from the aircraft.
It was learnt that the jet went missing on Sunday afternoon when the pilot was flying over the southern state of South Carolina.
The pilot, who is yet-to-be-identified, ejected and parachuted safely. He is in a stable condition in hospital.
According to BBC, what happened is yet to be certained, but officials said the aircraft was involved in a “mishap”.
The jet, made by Lockheed Martin, is thought to cost around $80m (£65m) each, according to news agency AFP.
Officials said they were concentrating their search for the F-35B Lightning II jet around two lakes north of Charleston.
Federal aviation officials are conducting searches in Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion based on the jet’s last known location.
The aircraft is classified as a stealth fighter, which means that its airframe, sensors, and systems are designed to operate unseen by enemy radar.
Joint Base Charleston posted its appeal for help on X, formerly Twitter. “Emergency response teams are still trying to locate the F-35,” it said.
“The public is asked to co-operate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues.”
