SINGAPORE : A Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16C fighter jet
is confirmed to have crashed after going missing during a night
training flight in the United States, a statement from Singapore's
Defence Ministry has said.
The status of the RSAF pilot is still unknown, and a search and
rescue effort is still in progress to locate him, it said.
The fighter, which was part of a formation of three aircraft, took
off on Thursday at 11.40 am, Singapore time from Luke Air Force
Base in Arizona.
It crashed about 90 nautical miles south of the base in the Barry M
Goldwater Range at about 12.40 pm on Thursday, Singapore time (9.40
pm on Wednesday, Arizona time).
MINDEF said communication with the aircraft was lost about 45
minutes into the flight.
MINDEF has not revealed the identity of the pilot.
"(The search is) still ongoing and we still do not have the status
of the pilot. The good thing is now we have daylight to help us
search. There are our people on the ground now, on their way to the
crash site, and airborne they've had helicopters since the crash
happened last night," US Master Sergeant Alan Lewis told Channel
NewsAsia by phone.
"(The terrain is) very rough, very rocky; a lot of cactus things
like that nature, and very distant from many improved services such
as paved roads, things of that nature."
MINDEF will be conducting an investigation to determine the cause
of the crash.
The F-16 was assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force
Base as part of the RSAF's Peace Carvin II detachment there. -
CNA
