Navy finds crashed jet off Florida Keys, decides to leave it

KEY WEST, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a Navy pilot whose jet crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida Keys.

Lt. Russ Chilcoat said in a news release the pilot ejected and was rescued Wednesday afternoon with no apparent injuries. The crash happened some 20 miles (32 kilometres) southeast of Key West. The pilot, whose name wasn’t released, was the only person on board.

Chilcoat says parts of the F-5N were recovered but the rest is under about 3,000 feet (900 metres) of water. He says the Navy has no immediate plans to recover the aircraft.

The pilot is attached to Fighter Composite Squadron 111, the “Sun Downers,” based at Naval Air Station Key West. Officials say the jet was conducting training operations and the cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known.