S. Korea confirms crash of F-15K fighter jet

South Korean Defense Ministry and the Air Force confirmed Thursday that a South Korean F-15K fighter jet, missing during a solo training flight Wednesday night, was found to have crashed in the East Sea (Sea of Japan).

"One F-15K jet, which left a Daegu air base at 7:45 p.m. (1045 GMT), suddenly disappeared from the Air Force radar while carrying out a nighttime mission at 8:20 p.m. (1120 GMT)," said a statement from the defense ministry and Air Force.

Wrecks of the fighter were found in the sea off the Eastern coastal city of Pohang, some 350 km southeast of Seoul, during a search operation by the Navy, said the defense ministry and the Air Force.

The two pilots on aboard were still missing, the statement said.

The F-15K, valued at about 105 million U.S. dollars, has been designed as South Korea's next-generation mainstream fighter jet by the U.S. Boeing Co..

The Boeing Co. said it will cooperate with the South Korean Air Force in investigations into the crash.

Source: Xinhua