The US armed forces faced an unprecedented problem after one of its F-35 fighter jets flew in the air without a pilot.
It was all recorded when the crew member of this Navy aircraft encountered an emergency during a flyover in South Carolina.
The soldier decided to eject and landed safely on his parachute. However, the expensive aircraft continued to fly on autopilot without being detected by radar, because that is one of its greatest capabilities.
The F-35 aircraft was missing for almost 24 hours without military authorities knowing where its remains were.
The situation was so complex that Charleston Air Base asked the public for help in locating this aircraft.
“If you have any information that can help our rescue teams locate the F-35, please call the base Defense Operations Center,” he said.
The F-35 fighter jet was missing in the United States for several hours. Photo: Air Force
They find the remains of the F-35 plane
After several hours of intensive searching, authorities managed to find the remains of the F-35 aircraft in Williamsburg County, South Carolina.
“Community members should avoid the area while the recovery team secures the debris field,” Joint Base Charleston said in a statement.
The disappearance of this F-35 fighter jet caused astonishment and ridicule, as an aircraft with these characteristics was missing for several hours without its location being determined.
“How the hell do you lose an F-35?” “How is it possible that there is no tracking device and the public is being asked to find and deliver an aircraft?” said Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
The strange thing is that this plane was in a “zombie” state as it continued to fly with the autopilot engaged for a few hours before crashing.
Joint Base Charleston is conducting an investigation into the incident; as this case is completely unique and security has been compromised.
“The mishap is under investigation and we cannot provide further details to protect the integrity of the process,” the US military base said.