Overview
- Rescuers are searching rough seas for Capt. Hsin Po-yi, who is believed to have ejected about 10 nautical miles east of Fengbin Township at 7:29 p.m., with no locator beacon signal detected.
- The operation now involves 30 aircraft, 22 naval and coast guard vessels, two drones and a shore search, with winds up to force 7 and waves near three meters complicating efforts.
- ROCAF says the F-16V’s flight computer issued an “EJECT, EJECT, EJECT” alarm, and officials reported the jet had dropped to about 1,700 feet after entering cloud cover and may have experienced a main computer malfunction.
- Taiwan has grounded all F-16s for inspections and paused training, while maintaining alert duties, and the defense minister said the checks should finish by Saturday.
- The single-seat F-16V Block 20, serial 6700, departed Hualien at 6:17 p.m.; the pilot has 611 total flight hours, including 371 on the F-16, and the airframe has logged 3,894 hours.