Search and rescue teams from the Air Force and Coast Guard have found the remains of the pilot who was flying an F-16 that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday morning about 57 miles off the coast of Panama City, Florida. It is not known whether the pilot attempted to eject from the airplane before it crashed.
The F-16 was assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluations Group at Tyndall Air Force Base, located southeast of Panama City. A statement on the Tyndall Air Force Base Facebook page indicated that the fighter jet was on a routine training mission when the accident occurred.
As of yet, there is no official cause of the crash. “A board of qualified officers has been assembled to conduct this investigation and no additional information about the accident will be released until the investigation is complete,” another Facebook statement said.
The U.S. Air Force has not yet released the name of the pilot pending a 24-hour grace period after notifying the immediate family.
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