7 injured in fighter jet's 'landing mishap' on U.S. aircraft carrier in South China Sea

The pilot of the fighter jet "safely ejected" from the F-35C Lightning II and was recovered from the water via a U.S. military helicopter, the Pacific Fleet said in a statement.

Seven sailors were injured on Monday as a "landing accident" of an F-35 jet on the deck of an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, the United States Navy said.

The pilot of the fighter jet "was ejected safely from the aircraft and recovered via US military helicopter," the US Pacific Fleet said in a statement published on Monday.

It was not immediately clear whether he was one of seven people injured in the incident, but the Navy said he was in stable condition as of Monday.

It is also unclear what exact injuries were sustained by the sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson, who was injured in the crash landing.

The Navy said the three sailors required medical evacuation to a medical treatment facility in Manila, Philippines, and were assessed in stable condition. The other four were treated by on-board medical personnel.

The Navy said the incident came to light when the F-35C Lightning II warplane was conducting "routine flight operations" in the South China Sea. It added that the cause of the "flight accident" is still being investigated.

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

NBC San Diego reported at the time that the USS Carl Vinson took off from San Diego last August after a $367 million retrofit allowed it to accommodate the F-35C Lightning II, one of the world's most advanced fighter jets. is one of

The visit marked the first time a carrier strike group deployed with capabilities compatible with both fighter jets and Navy CMV-22B Osprey aircraft.

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