An air force F-16 jet went missing off the east coast of Taiwan last night, and search and recovery operations were ongoing as of press time, the Ministry of National Defense said.
The F-16 disappeared from radar screens at 6:07pm 9 nautical miles (17km) northeast of Hualien Air Base, two minutes after taking off from the base as part of a nighttime training exercise, the ministry said.
The F-16, serial number 6672, was piloted by Colonel Chiang Cheng-chih (蔣正志), it said.
Photo: CNA
A National Rescue Command Center statement said that a Black Hawk helicopter and Coast Guard Administration vessels had been dispatched to the area to locate the aircraft and its pilot.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that night searches are difficult, so she hoped that the public would keep Chiang in their prayers so that the search teams could bring back good news, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) quoted Tsai as saying.
Tsai earlier in the day attended a memorial ceremony to honor air force captain Chu Kuan-meng (朱冠甍), who died on Oct. 29 when his F-5E jet crashed into the sea after taking off from Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County.
Photo: Huang Ming-tang, Taipei Times
At the Chihhang base service, Tsai presented a citation to Chu’s widow and thanked the 29-year-old pilot for his dedication and the sacrifices he made to protect the nation.
Chu was posthumously promoted to lieutenant colonel and air force Commander Hsiung Hou-chi (熊厚基) also presented him with the Order of Loyalty and Valor, which was received by his father.
During the service, four F-5 jets flew the missing comrade formation over the base to pay their respects to their fallen comrade.
Chu is to be interred at the air force Martyrs’ Shrine in New Taipei City.
His F-5E crashed into the sea less than two minutes after taking off from the base at 7:29am on Oct. 29. Although he managed to eject from the plane, he died of his injuries at 9:27am.
The military’s investigation into the crash is still ongoing.
Taiwan in 1992 procured a total of 150 F-16s from the US; the first batch was delivered in 1997.
Prior to last night’s incident, there had been seven F-16 crashes during training missions.
Additional reporting by Yang Chun-hui
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS