S.Korean KF-16 jet crashes, pilot safely escapes

Seoul, Nov 21 (IANS) A South Korean KF-16C fighter jet crashed due to an engine abnormality during a flight mission on Sunday, with its pilot having safely escaped, the Air Force said.The pilot of the single-seat jet belonging to the 19th Fighter Wing made an emergency ejection in a mountainous area, about 20 kilometers west of an air base in Wonju, some 85 km east of Seoul, at 8:05 p.m., Yonhap news agency reported, citing the armed service."Currently, the pilot remains safe and will be transported to the Air Force Aerospace Medical Center," the Air Force said in a text message sent to reporters.No damage to civilians has been confirmed, it added.The Air Force has grounded all types of its planes except for surveillance and emergency assets. The KF-16 jets will remain grounded until the cause of the accident is verified, officials said.The armed service plans to form a team, led by its vice chief of staff, to investigate the cause of the crash.
--IANS int/sha

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