BEAUFORT, S.C. — A military jet crashed in coastal South Carolina Friday, but the pilot was able to eject safely from the aircraft.
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said the crash was reported about 11:45 a.m. Friday near the Grays Hill community and the pilot is being checked for injuries. No one on the ground was hurt.
The plane was a Marine F-35B fighter jet on a routine training mission, a spokesperson for the Marine Expeditionary Force said in a statement.
The Marine version of the jet is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings. One flew its first combat mission Thursday in Afghanistan. The jet costs about $100 million.
The crash happened about 4 miles west of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Contributing: TEGNA Staff
