An F-16V (Block 20) fighter jet belonging to the Taiwan Air Force crashed during a night training flight conducted off the coast of Hualien. Authorities stated that it is believed a captain with the surname Hsin ejected after the incident occurred over the sea.
According to a statement by the Air Force, the single-seat F-16V fighter jet took off from Hualien Air Base at 18:17 on Tuesday, 6 January, as part of a routine night training mission. Contact with the aircraft was reported to have been lost at around 19:29, approximately 10 nautical miles east of Fengbin Township in Hualien County.
Emergency response centre established
Following the incident, the Air Force announced that an emergency response centre had been established and that an air and sea search and rescue operation had been launched. It is assessed that the pilot ejected from the aircraft.
In the Air Force statement, it was noted that the pilot, identified as Hsin Po-yi, had a total of 611 hours of flight experience prior to the incident, including 371 hours on F-16V aircraft.
Coast Guard and commercial vessels also involved
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) announced that vessels from its northern, eastern and southern fleets had been dispatched to the incident area to support search and rescue efforts. In addition, contact was established with commercial cargo ships in the area.
According to sources, units affiliated with the Sixth (Hualien) Coast Guard Corps are expected to be among the first teams to reach the scene.
Aerial search: Black Hawk and C-130 deployed
Speaking to CNA, an Air Force official stated that a National Air Force Black Hawk helicopter had been deployed to conduct aerial searches off the coast of Fengbin. It was also reported that a C-130 transport aircraft supported the operation by dropping illumination flares to enhance night visibility.
Inter-ministerial joint rescue operation
Maritime Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling stated in a post on social media that the air and sea search and rescue operations jointly conducted by the Ministry of National Defence, the Coast Guard and air rescue teams were continuing. The minister added that a cargo ship located approximately 6.3 nautical miles from the incident site had also been informed to support the operation.
