US hunts for F-35 jet gone missing, seeks public help

The United States’ military is on the hunt for an F-35 fighter jet that has gone missing following an incident that forced the pilot to eject from the advanced stealth aircraft over South Carolina. Emergency response teams are trying to find what’s left of the F-35B Lightning II jet, which suffered what the military called a “mishap” on Sunday. Joint Base Charleston, an air base in South Carolina, said. The unidentified pilot ejected safely and was taken to a hospital. Joint Base Charleston called on the public to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the search continues.
The air base said it was working with Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort to search for the plane north of North Charleston around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, based on its last-known location. Each jet can cost over $160 million, depending on the variant. The missing aircraft in the US swiftly drew online mockery, from postings with missing-jet fliers on lamp posts and notices on milk cartons, to mashed up “Dude, Where’s My F-35″ movie posters. “Now that I got that out of the way. How in the hell do you lose an F-35?” Republican Representative Nancy Mace said on social media. “How is there not a tracking device and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?”