F-16 disappears off Taiwan’s east coast, fate still unclear
Taiwan is searching for an F-16 fighter jet and its pilot after losing contact with the aircraft Tuesday night during a training exercise.
The jet, piloted by Colonel Chiang Cheng-chih, disappeared from radar at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet only two minutes after takeoff from Hualien Air Base on Taiwan’s east coast during a nighttime training mission, Taiwan air force commander Hsieh Jih-sheng told reporters Tuesday evening.
The disappearance of the F-16 is the second training incident the Taiwanese air force has had in the past month. It also comes at a time heightened tensions with Beijing, which has seen increased incursions by Chinese warplane into the island’s air defense identification zone.
