Crew ejects before South Korean fighter jet crashes at Eielson Air Force Base

Jun. 11—A South Korean fighter jet experienced an incident upon takeoff on Tuesday afternoon at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, base officials said.
The Republic of Korea Air Force F-16D Fighting Falcon "departed the prepared surface" and the crew ejected, the statement said. The incident occurred during takeoff, and within the base fenceline, it said.
The crew was taken to Bassett Army Community Hospital for evaluation, the 354th Fighter Wing said in a statement late Tuesday.
The pilots suffered minor burns and lacerations during ejection, according to a report in Stars and Stripes that quotes a South Korean Air Force statement describing the crashed jet as "partially destroyed by fire" on grass next to the runway.
The jet is a two-seat version of the F-16.
The incident occurred during training, according to reports in Korean media. Korea JoongAng Daily reported the fighter jet was damaged while participating in a multinational training exercise, according to the Korean military.
A 354th Fighter Wing spokesperson did not immediately response to questions Wednesday morning.
The Red Flag Pacific Air Forces training exercise gets underway Thursday, but activities occur before the exercise officially begins. This year's exercise includes 70 aircraft from 35 units and three nations.
The crash marked the second fighter jet to go down at Eielson this year.
In January, an F-35 crashed after experiencing an in-flight malfunction at the base as the plane came in for a landing. The pilot declared an emergency and ejected prior to the crash. He was treated at Bassett and released by the next day.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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