Search and rescue efforts are underway for a missing US Marine pilot off Japan's coast

US Navy Photo

Search and rescue efforts are underway for a missing U.S. Marine Corps pilot who ejected from his F/A-18 jet in southern Japan on Wednesday, the military service said in a statement.

The identity of the pilot was not immediately released, but the Marine Corps said that the aircraft was “conducting regularly scheduled training” about 120 miles southeast of Iwakuni when the pilot ejected from the jet.

Japanese military vessels and aircraft joined the search and rescue effort, Japan’s Defense Ministry said, adding that the F/A-18 had been flying with another Marine Corps jet, the Associated Press reported. The missing pilot was reportedly alone in his jet.

The Marine Corps said the aircraft was assigned to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, Japan.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, and officials did not provide additional information.

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