The USS Carl Vinson conducting an exercise in the Philippine Sea in 2017. Photo: USN Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Z.A. Landers via Getty Images
Seven American sailors were injured when a U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier during operations in the South China Sea on Monday.
Driving the news: The U.S. F-35 jet's pilot "safely ejected from the aircraft" following the "landing mishap" that occurred during routine flight operations, per a statement from the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
- The pilot was recovered via U.S. military helicopter and was in a stable condition, according to the statement.
- Six others were injured on the carrier's deck of the carrier. Three sailors were taken to a medical facility in Manila, Philippines, where they're in stable condition, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said.
What to watch: The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The big picture: This is the first of an F-35C, the U.S. Navy's "variant of the single-engine stealth fighter, designed for operations off aircraft carriers," notes CNN.