U.S. F-18 Jet Crashes in England, Kills Pilot

A U.S. Marine fighter pilot was killed Wednesday when his F-18 crashed after taking off from a British air base in eastern England.


According to AP, the pilot was ejected from the single-seat aircraft after it went down near the Royal Air Force Lakenheath station. No other casualties were
reported.

The Marine Corps said the pilot's identity was being withheld pending notification of family.

The plane belonging to the Third Marine Aircraft Wing was among six San Diego-based aircraft returning from a six-month deployment in the Middle East.

Cambridgeshire police said the jet crashed after take-off from Lakenheath. It landed six miles northwest of the airfield. The other five planes were safely diverted to a nearby air base.

Bohanner said he did not know if the five other pilots — belonging to the Marine Attack Fighter Squadron 232 — would be delayed in their return to San Diego.