U.S. F-15 crashes off Okinawa; pilot rescued
TOKYO. May 28. KAZINFORM A U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter crashed off Okinawa early Tuesday after the aircraft developed problems in flight, and the pilot ejected and was recovered safely.
The F-15, flying out of Kadena Air Base, went down in the Pacific about 115 km east of Okinawa Island, the military said in a statement.
Lt. Col. David Honchul, the chief spokesman for the U.S. Forces, Japan, said the pilot was recovered safely after a search by U.S. and Japanese rescue crews. After he ejected from the plane, the pilot remained in contact with the rescuers.
The cause was under investigation. The pilot's name has not been released.
The U.S. has about 50,000 service members based in Japan, about half of them in Okinawa. The Kadena base is one of the largest U.S. air bases in the Asia-Pacific region. The F-15 was attached to Kadena's 18th Wing.
Source: Japan Times