A F-16 fighter jet from the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) crashed into the sea during a night operation on Tuesday (6).
The aircraft, piloted by Hsin Po-yi, disappeared off the coast of Hualien County around 7:29 PM (local time). The F-16 was participating in a routine training, having taken off from Hualien Air Base just over an hour earlier, according to official statements.
Search and rescue (SAR) forces, including C-130 and UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft and Coast Guard vessels, were immediately activated, according to information released by the website The Aviationist.
It is believed that Po-yi ejected from the aircraft before the crash. However, no updates on the progress of the SAR efforts have been received so far.
On social media, Lai Ching-te, currently serving as President of the Republic of China, stated that he had “instructed the Ministry of National Defense and relevant units to prioritize the safety of personnel and conduct a large-scale search and rescue operation.”
He added that the “Air Force Response Center launched a joint search and rescue operation and is actively searching the waters off Hualien.”
Photos: Creative Commons. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
