Found Deceased UK - U.S. Air Force pilot missing after F-15C fighter jet crashes off coast, Yorkshire, June 2020

[dotr]

June 15 2020
U.S. Air Force pilot missing after F-15C fighter jet crashes into sea off U.K. coast
''A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle fighter jet crashed into the North Sea off the coast of England on Monday, the Air Forces' 48th Fighter Wing confirmed.

The jet, deployed from Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath in eastern England, northeast of London, crashed at about 4:40 a.m. Eastern.

"At the time of the accident, the aircraft was on a routine training mission with one pilot on board," the 48th Fighter Wing said in a brief statement, adding that the cause of the crash remained unclear.''
BBC News quoted a spokesperson with the U.K. Coastguard earlier as saying one helicopter and two lifeboats had been sent to the area, about 90 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire, to help with the search. The Coastguard said other vessels were heading to the area to help, too, after hearing the agency's mayday call.''

''Hours before the crash, RAF Lakenheath posted a photo to the base's twitter account showing F-15s in flight, saying the 48th Fighter Wing was ready to "take on Monday."

Ready to take on Monday like...#WeAreLiberty! #ReadyAF pic.twitter.com/QrwCrHp5bv

— RAF Lakenheath (@48FighterWing) June 15, 2020''

 

[dotr]

ETA SAD UPDATE.
Body of pilot found after US Air Force F-15C fighter jet crash off coast of England
''The pilot of the US Air Force F15C fighter aircraft that crashed off the north-east coast of England has been found dead, RAF Lakenheath said.
The jet, from the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, crashed about 9.40am on Monday with one pilot on board.
A search and rescue operation was launched shortly after.
According to a flight tracker understood to be tracing the fighter jet, the pilot circled the aircraft before it disappeared from the radar.
The name of the pilot who died will not be released until his family have been informed, RAF Lakenheath said.
"This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot's family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron," a spokesman said.
Flying has been suspended at RAF Lakenheath after the incident, 74 nautical miles off the coast at Flamborough Head. ''

''A US military jet has crashed into the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire. A major operation is underway after the F-15 fighter jet came down near Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire, south of Scarborough. The pilot is yet to be found''.

 

[borndem]

Oh, such bad news. Thoughts of peace, love and strength for his family and for the USAF.

 

[tresir2012]

So sorry to hear the pilot was not found alive. Condolences to family and USAF Lakenheath. Glad they found the crash site. It was heavy fog there this morning.

Here's a link showing what the coast was like so HM Coastguard did well to locate the site.

View out to plane crash scene shows foggy North Sea

 

[PrairieWind]

Tragic. I wonder what happened so that the pilot was not able to eject to safety. Or maybe he did eject but was still killed. Ejection is not a gentle experience and landing in the ocean is extremely dangerous in itself.