A U.S. Navy pilot flying from the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier crashed while attempting to land during routine flight operations in the Celebs Sea.
The pilot ejected and was quickly recovered by an embarked helicopter.
The navy said the incident, which took place April 21, was under investigation, adding that the crash occurred as the F/A-18E was on final approach to the carrier.
USS Carl Vinson is en route to the Korean Peninsula on a deployment that has attracted a lot of media attention. The deployment first drew attention when U.S. officials announced the carrier would head to Korean waters where in fact it was moving in the opposite direction.
U.S. Pacific Command announced on April 8 that USS Carl Vinson set sail from Singapore to North Korean waters. U.S. Navy photos from a week later revealed that the aircraft carrier was nowhere near North Korea and actually sailed south sparking various interpretations and speculations.
Vinson is now finally heading north and the North Korean government reacted on Sunday, April 23, saying that it was ready to sink the U.S. aircraft carrier which was approaching the Korean Peninsula together with Japanese warships.