US F/A 18 fighter jet crashes in Philippine Sea

By: Frances Mangosing - 6 years ago

jet US sailors stand next to F/A-18 Super Hornets parked on the bow of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) anchored off Manila bay on June 26, 2018. - A US aircraft carrier visited the Philippines on June 26, the third such call in four months, as its admiral hailed America's "enduring presence" in a region where China's military build-up had raised tensions. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)

US sailors stand next to F/A-18 Super Hornets parked on the bow of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) anchored off Manila bay on June 26, 2018. (File Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)

A US F/A 18 fighter jet crashed in the Philippine Sea on Monday after experiencing mechanical issues while on routine operations, the US Navy said in a statement.

The crash is already under investigation and the pilots were immediately rescued and safely recovered by USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), it added.

“CVW 5 is embarked onboard Ronald Reagan and is currently underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” it also said. /je