Air Force pilot killed when fighter jet crashed in North Sea

The Air Force has confirmed the death of a U.S. pilot whose fighter jet crashed in the North Sea during a training mission early on Monday.

“This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot’s family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron,” the wing tweeted early Monday afternoon.

The pilot of the downed F-15C Eagle from the 48th Fighter Wing has been located, and confirmed deceased.

This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot’s family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron.https://t.co/GwCWFwImaS

— RAF Lakenheath (@48FighterWing) June 15, 2020

“At the time of the accident, the aircraft was on a routine training mission with one pilot on board,” the Air Force said in an earlier statement on the F-15C Eagle jet.

The earlier statement indicated the cause of the crash was unknown.

The jet reportedly took off from RAF Lakenheath, a Royal Air Force base in the United Kingdom located about 25 miles from Cambridge that hosts many U.S. service members.

In 2015, the U.K. was the site of another accident involving a Marine F-18 that took off from the same base before crashing. One person on board that flight died in the crash.

— Rebecca Kheel contributed to this report, which was updated at 1:33 p.m.