x
Breaking News
More () »

Navy: F-35C that crashed in the South China Sea has been recovered

The recovery alleviates concerns that China or Russia might reach it first and gain access to the advanced technology on board.

BEIJING, China — The U.S. Navy says it has recovered an F-35C Lightning II aircraft that crashed while attempting to land on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea in January, injuring seven sailors.

The 7th Fleet said a robot submarine attached lines to the long-range joint strike stealth fighter, which was then raised from a depth of 12,400 feet Wednesday using a ship's crane.

The recovery alleviates concerns that China or Russia might reach it first and gain access to the advanced technology on board.

The multimillion-dollar aircraft was conducting “routine flight operations" from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson when it crashed on Jan. 24. Leaked footage showed it coming in too low for a landing.

Before You Leave, Check This Out