Taiwan Mirage Fighter Jet Crashes, Pilot Rescued

A Mirage fighter jet crashed off Taiwan's northwest coast during nighttime exercises due to a suspected power loss. The pilot ejected safely and was rescued a few hours later. Similar incidents have plagued Taiwan's air force, including a crash in 2022 that led to the grounding of the Mirage fleet.

A Taiwan air force Mirage fighter jet crashed off the island's northwest coast on Tuesday night. The pilot, who ejected successfully, was rescued and taken to the hospital, according to the defense ministry and official Central News Agency.

The French-built Mirage was conducting nighttime exercises when it suffered a suspected power loss, causing the pilot to bail out. Rescuers found the pilot conscious a few hours later. He was taken by a coast guard vessel to a port, and then to a hospital, stated the defense ministry.

The Central News Agency reported that the aircraft crashed into the sea off Hsinchu, a city with a major air base. Taiwan's air force has faced numerous crashes in recent years, including a 2022 incident that led to the grounding of its Mirage fleet. Taiwan received its first Mirage 2000 jets in 1997, but they have experienced multiple upgrades and at least seven crashes since then.

(With inputs from agencies.)