Japan’s military said on Monday it was searching for a fighter jet that disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff, with media reporting a “red glow” was seen and debris was found.

“The track of an F15 jet disappeared from the Komatsu control tower data after takeoff,” a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) spokesman told AFP.

The plane disappeared about five kilometers (three miles) from Komatsu air base in the central Ishikawa region, facing the Sea of ​​Japan, it added.

The Kyodo news agency reported that the fighter was training with a two-person crew on board when radar contact was lost around 5:30 p.m.

The ASDF said it found some floating objects in the area where the plane went off radar during its search and rescue operation, according to Kyodo.

A local coastguard told Kyodo that he had received a call reporting a “red glow” near the base around the same time.

Japan has occasionally seen accidents involving its air force, including in 2019 when an F-35A stealth jet crashed into the sea after the pilot suffered from spatial disorientation.

The accident sparked a fight to retrieve the pilot and the secrets aboard the plane.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-searches-missing-f15-jet-143432297.html

Category: Japan