A F-15 fighter jet of the US Army crashed at the Nellis US Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada on Wednesday. After initially saying that the US Army is searching for the pilot, the base now reports that the pilot has been found safe with minor injuries.
The base released a statement saying that the pilot ejected safely from the jet as it crashed. However, the US Army has not been able to locate the pilot and are searching near the location.
The statement read: "An F-35 from Nellis AFB crashed north of Las Vegas today. The incident occurred approximately 25 miles northeast of Indian Springs, Nevada."
"Emergency responders are on-scene and there is no impact to populated areas. The pilot is safe and being treated for minor injuries," it added.
What Happened At The Nellis Air Force Base Today?
At around 5pm ET, reports started coming in from the Air Force base that a possible crash sparked an emergency response at the base, though the details of the incident were not clear initially.
Also read: Oracle employee with cancer laid off via email after 20 years at company: 'Not even a phone call'
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Oracle employee with cancer laid off via email after 20 years at company: 'Not even a phone call'
{{/usCountry}}Later, the base provided an update on social media confirming that an F-35 fighter jet crashed and the emergency personnel and US Army officials were looking for the pilot. It was reported by KSNV News 3 that the F-15 jet was experiencing issues with maneuvering earlier on Tuesday. But the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
In a follow-up update at 5:42pm ET, the Nellis Air Force Base confirmed that they have found the pilot safe with minor injuries.
KSNV News 3 reported that the aircraft was lost before it was found crashed near the Indiana Springs region. The F-35 was based out of the Nellis Air Force Base under the 57th Wing. The base is used by F-15 pilots for weapons testing and other training exercises.
Nellis Air Force Base is located about 8 miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada.