- A new video reportedly shows the moment a F-35 British fighter jet crashed into the sea.
- The plane fails to accelerate up the ramp and take off, immediately falling off of the ramp.
- The pilot activates his parachute, and according to the UK Ministry of Defence, was rescued afterwards.
A new video posted to Twitter purports to show the F-35 British fighter jet crashing into the water during takeoff as its pilot ejects, according to the BBC.
The jet, which was docked on the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on November 17, 2021, around 10 a.m. GMT, and it was one the first time the UK has lost one of its 24 F-35 warplanes, according to the report.
The video, posted by Twitter user @sebh1981, shows a recording of what appears to be security footage of the crash.
The user claimed to Insider to have sourced the video from a Royal Navy WhatsApp group, and stated that the original footage is from the ship's visual surveillance system. Insider could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the video or the veracity of the claims.
"We are aware of a video circulating online," the Ministry of Defence told PA Media journalist Henry Jones. "It is too soon to comment on the potential causes of this incident."
The MoD continued, "The recovery efforts are ongoing and the Defence Accident Investigation Branch will report back their preliminary findings in due course."
Neither the MoD nor the Royal Navy immediately responded to Insider's request for comment.
—Seb H (@sebh1981) November 29, 2021
The video shows the plane losing speed as it climbs the runway, so much so that it immediately drops instead of taking off. The pilot's parachute is visible as he ejects, and smoke billows around the ramp and sea.
The BBC's report added that the MoD confirmed that the pilot survived and was rescued. The MoD also told the BBC that an investigation was still underway as crews are still trying to recover parts of the high-technology, sensitive parts of the plane.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also told the BBC that the F-35 fell soon after taking off from the aircraft carrier and that operational and training flights have continued on the vessel despite the incident.