Wreckage of missing Japan fighter jet found, pilot missing

This picture taken in June 2017 shows a F-35A stealth fighter jet of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces in Toyoyama, Aichi prefecture. – A Japanese F-35A stealth fighter jet with one pilot on board disappeared off the radar while on a training mission over the Pacific on late April 9, 2019, the defense ministry said. (Photo by JIJI PRESS / JIJI PRESS / AFP)

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Wreckage from a Japanese F-35A stealth fighter jet has been found a day after it disappeared off the radar over the Pacific, the country’s defense minister said Wednesday.

There was no word yet on the fate of the one pilot on board the jet, Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya said.

“We have collected part of its tail” in search operations at sea with planes and vessels, Iwaya told reporters.

“We believe it crashed,” he added.

The fighter jet went missing around 7:30 pm (1030 GMT) Tuesday as it was flying some 135 kilometers (85 miles) east of Misawa, northeastern Japan, on a training mission.

The plane lost contact about 30 minutes after taking off from Misawa Air Base with three other aircraft.

Japan is deploying F-35As, each of which costs more than 10 billion yen ($90 million), to replace the ageing F-4 fighter jet.

The jet was one of 13 F-35s deployed at the base, according to a defense official.

The remaining 12 F-35A fighters have been grounded for the time being, according to the defense ministry.