In what appears to be mobile phone footage of CCTV covering the incident, what appears to be a highly sophisticated stealth fighter jet can be seen crash landing on its final approach. The leaked footage purportedly includes the USS Carl Vinson’s in-deck Pilot’s Landing Aid Television (PLAT), as well as a video shot from the ship’s Island Camera Room. Its authenticity is yet to be confirmed.
According to The Drive: “It looks like at least one of its main landing gear is sheared off in the impact and the jet goes careening sideways down the landing area trailing flames before falling into the water in front of the ship.”
Personnel onboard the USS Carl Vinson reacted quickly to the incident, and their hasty actions have been praised.
The use of anti-fire substances played a vital part in stopping the situation from turning into a disaster.
Tyler Rogoway, an aviation intelligence expert praised the crew, stating: “Truly amazing work here.
“Clearly, their training had them ready to go at the instant trouble reared its ugly head.”
The USS Carl Vinson and an F-35 jet (Image: Getty)
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The F-35 costs around £100 per unit (Image: Getty)
Following the crash landing, the aircraft appears to slip off the end of the ship’s runway and into the sea.
Adding to his assessment of the incident, Mr Rogoway said: “Seven sailors were hurt in this event, but looking at this video, it’s pretty amazing more weren’t and that everyone survived their initial injuries.”
With the aircraft at the bottom of the sea in international waters, the race is on to recover the highly classified and sensitive equipment on board.
Sources fear that Chinese assets will reach the aircraft first, hence putting at risk the technology involved in the modern fighter.
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Deck personnel were praised for their actions following the incident (Image: Getty)
The US Navy are highly active in the South China Sea (Image: Getty)
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said: “We’re certainly mindful of the value of an F-35 in every respect of what value means.
“And as we continue to attempt recovery of the aircraft we’re going to do it obviously with safety foremost in mind, but clearly our own national security interests.
“And I think I will just leave it at that.”
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A similar incident occurred on the HMS Queen Elizabeth (Image: Getty)
In Beijing, the foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, said the Chinese government had no ambitions to find the crashed plane.
He stated: “I noted relevant reports.
“This is not the first time that the US has had an accident in the South China Sea.
“We have no interest in their aircraft.
“We urge the country concerned to do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, rather than flex muscles in the region.”
Pentagon spokesman, John Kirby (Image: Getty)
In April 2019 a Japanese F-35A, the conventional take-off and landing version, crashed at over 1,000km/h into the Pacific, leaving the pilot dead and only debris to be recovered.
The US Navy has been contacted by express.co.uk for comment and clarification.
