A U.S. Marine Corps pilot who ejected from an F/A-18 fighter jet near Japan Wednesday has been recovered and pronounced dead a day later, officials said.
The jet suffered a mishap, prompting its pilot — identified Thursday as Capt. Jake Frederick — to eject, according to a news release from the Marines.
Search-and-rescue teams looked for the pilot, who ejected southeast of Japan's Shikoku island, according to an earlier military statement.
The F/A-18 was part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing based in Okinawa, Japan and was flying a regularly scheduled training mission.
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Frederick was recovered by a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship, the Japanese Ministry of Defense confirmed to local media Thursday, the statement said. "Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the pilot. The cause of the crash is still unknown."
It remains unclear what caused the crash.
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#Breaking: @USMC pilot Capt. Jake Frederick who piloted the F/A-18 has been recovered and pronounced deceased. #HonorTheFallen pic.twitter.com/X39LQ6OMlP
— III MEF Marines (@IIIMEF) December 8, 2016
