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THE PILOT OF a US fighter jet which crashed into the North Sea while on a training exercise off the north-east coast of England has been found dead.
The US Air Force F15C Eagle, from the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, crashed at around 9.40am while on a routine training exercise.
In a statement this evening, RAF Lakenheath said the pilot had been found and “confirmed deceased”.
“This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot’s family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron,” the statement added.
The cause of the crash is not known.
RAF Lakenheath said the pilot’s name would not be released until all next of kin notifications had been made.
The base previously said search efforts by HM Coastguard had found the aircraft wreckage with recovery efforts under way.
HM Coastguard said this morning that it had received reports that an aircraft went into the sea 74 miles off the coast of Flamborough Head in Yorkshire.
A Coastguard helicopter and Bridlington and Scarborough RNLI lifeboats were sent to the area.
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The Coastguard also sent a Mayday broadcast, resulting in other vessels nearby heading there.
The F15C is a model of jet that has been used by the US Air Force since 1979.
RAF Lakenheath is the “largest US Air Force-operated base in England and the only US air forces in Europe F15 fighter wing”, its website said.
The 48th Fighter Wing, which has operated from the base since 1960, has more than 4,500 “active-duty military members”.
Its mission statement is to “provide worldwide responsive combat air power and support”.
The pilot of the downed F-15C Eagle from the 48th Fighter Wing has been located, and confirmed deceased.
This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot's family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron.https://t.co/GwCWFwImaS
In October 2014, an F15D fighter jet based at RAF Lakenheath crashed in fields near Spalding in Lincolnshire.
The pilot ejected safely, suffering only minor injuries, and no-one on the ground was hurt.
A US Air Force investigation found that the crash was caused by the “angle of attack” of the aircraft and “imperfections” in the assembly of the jet’s nose cap.
In October 2015, US pilot Major Taj Sareen died when his F-18 Hornet jet crashed on farmland near RAF Lakenheath.
A subsequent investigation found the 34-year-old did not report problems with his aircraft before take-off.
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@Barry Teehan: NATO training, Barry. The yanks have jets in England, nuclear subs in Scotland, and a fleet constantly in the North Atlantic. One of their biggest airbases is in Germany. They’re everywhere…
@PV Nevin: Those bases exist with the express permission, and usually at the request of, the host nation. They’re there for two primary reasons.
Yes, to extend the reach of Uncle Sam further, to ensure America, the biggest gorilla, is able to have a supply chain extening around the globe. They also ensure that those smaller, weaker nations get something out of the deal too, they get the protection of that biggest gorilla from other big, threatening gorillas. They don’t have to spend tens of billions on weapons and it won’t take them decades to build up a sufficiently experienced military. Having those bases doesn’t equate to conflict but rather peace.
@Arch Angel: That’s what the US have you believe but after they initiated 13 wars in the last three decades bombing cities to the ground and killing hundreds of thousands of civilians I think you’re either evil or naive to promote such narratives.
@Arch Angel: And given how badly their government handles the recent turmoil at home, one may wonder why the heck they need to be flexing muscles and lining up warships in the Indian Ocean and fighter jets above Europe instead of saving lives of their own people.
We are clearly heading for nuclear war. Are we to shrug our shoulders?
Marxists have the view that we can move to the next stage of socio-economic organisation. Socialism.
Capitalism has raised development to the level such that a socialist economy is now possible.
Though it has at the same time created the potential alternative. World destruction.
It is our choice which road to take.
@PV Nevin: I don’t agree (at all!!) but interested in what we would call ourselves if we all lost our nationalities, earthlings, worldies, earthians…..
@PV Nevin: Doctrinaire Marxists are a bit like Jehovah’s Witnesses, nobody really wants to hear about your dogma, but to get you off the doorstep we’ll take a copy of the paper, give you a euro and send you on your way.
@Tom kenny: The Trotskyites will try to convince you it worked well between 1917 and 1924 before Uncle Joe Stalin came along but they’ll conveniently leave out the brutal crushing of anti-Bolshevik rebellions, massacres of peasants, the Cheka, Lenin’s early gulags etc. If only Dear Leon had got the job all would’ve been grand they’ll tell you!
@PV Nevin: I suggest you put your thoughts into writing a book….. they sound interesting, book will be found in Fantasy Fiction, never know you could the next George R R Martin…..
“The RAF spokesperson said the aircraft has an exceptional safety record” is it not the case that the F-15 has quite a significant safety issue, the cockpit has been known to separate from the rear of the aircraft due to metal fatigue?
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