A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet crashed near the country’s eastern coast, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the pilot, 24NewsHD TV reported on Tuesday.
According to Taiwan’s state-run Central News Agency, rescue teams were dispatched soon after the incident.
The Taiwan Air Force confirmed that the aircraft was on a routine training flight at the time of the crash.
Media reports said the pilot is believed to have successfully ejected from the jet near Hualien County, though authorities have yet to officially confirm his condition.
Following the incident, President William Lai Ching-te directed all relevant agencies to make every possible effort to locate the pilot and determine the cause of the crash. He also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident.