The search continued for an F-16A Fighting Falcon jet and its pilot yesterday, missing since a routine night training drill on Tuesday.
By noon yesterday the Ministry of National Defense (MND) had dispatched seven S-70C helicopters, three C-130 aircraft and several naval vessels to comb the waters off Hualien County where the jet fighter was feared to have crashed, officials said.
Coast guard units also sent four patrol ships to join the search for the single-seat F-16, part of the Air Force's 401 Wing, which disappeared from radar screens 28 minutes after it took off from an airbase in Hualien at 6:50pm on Tuesday, officials said.
PHOTO: THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
The pilot, Major Ting Shih-pao (
Ministry officials said the military would spare no effort in searching for the plane and its pilot over the coming 48 hours.
Minister of National Defense Michael Tsai (
Meanwhile, Yang Feng-sheng (
Yang said it was not yet clear if the pilot had ejected from the aircraft. Ting, 34, who had a total of 1,234.5 hours of flight time, has been listed as missing. Ting did not issue a distress call or make contact with ground controllers before the plane disappeared, Yang said.
There has been speculation that Ting fled the country in the jet, but Yang dismissed such rumors as "irresponsible."
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