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Marine Jet Crashes, Pilot Ejects Over Japan On Pearl Harbor Anniversary

REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Benjamin Crossley/Handout

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A Marine Corps. jet crashed off the coast of Japan Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

The pilot ejected from the F/A-18 Hornet before it crashed during a routine training mission over 120 miles southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, the Marine Corps said in a statement.

Authorities are searching for the pilot in the ocean, and it’s unclear what caused the accident. The aircraft, assigned to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, was conducting scheduled training drills when a “mishap” occurred, the Marine Corps said(RELATED: Marine Jet Catches Fire, Bursts Into Flames Midair)

Several F/A-18 Hornets have crashed this year, and Wednesday’s crash marks the fourth incident since October. Two jets collided during a training mission near California in November in the most recent incident. (RELATED: Two Marine Fighter Jets Collide At Sea) 

Defense Secretary Ash Carter is currently touring Japan as part of Pearl Harbor remembrance day. He delivered remarks Wednesday.

“It’s a testament to the strength of our alliance and the character of the Japanese people that a mere 75 years after Pearl Harbor, my friend and counterpart, Minister Inada, and I can stand next to each other proudly and discuss how our two countries can strengthen the security of this region together,” Carter said.

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