Pilot rescued after ejecting before fighter jet crashes into the Taiwan Strait

An air force pilot was plucked from the water two hours after ejecting from his stricken fighter jet off the coast of northern Taiwan, last night.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said that Captain Hsieh Pei-hsun was piloting a single-seater Mirage 2000 on a routine night training flight after taking off from Hsinchu Air Base at 8:05 pm. The aircraft was returning to base when it lost power around 16.7 nautical miles southwest of Nanliao, Hsinchu County, at 8:35 pm.

Hsieh successfully ejected and parachuted into the sea. A sea and air search and rescue operation was launched immediately, and Hsieh was located and rescued at 10:39 pm.

The crew of coast guard vessel No. 3580 reported that Hsieh was conscious when plucked from the water, and was transferred to Tung’s Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital after arriving at Wuqi Fishing Port in Taichung City at 1:20 am.

A hospital spokesperson said that Hsieh is in good physical health and good spirits after a night of rest. President Lai Ching-teh is expected to visit him at 10:00 am.

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