‘How in the h**l do you lose an F-35?’ Debris discovery sheds light on missing F-35 jet's fate

A day after a Marine Corps F-35 jet vanished from the radar while the pilot ejected safely, search teams found a debris field in South Carolina on Monday evening.

The debris was located in Williamsburg County, north of Charleston, according to a statement from Joint Base Charleston. The statement did not confirm that the debris belonged to the missing warplane, but advised the public to stay away from the area as the recovery team secured it.

The statement also said that the incident's command was transferred to the Marine Corps, which would begin the recovery process. The cause of the incident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon over North Charleston, S.C., was still unclear.

The pilot, who used an emergency parachute to escape from the F-35B Lightning II, was in stable condition at a local medical center, Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman for Joint Base Charleston, said Sunday.

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The pilot was part of a training mission with another F-35 pilot, who landed without any problems, Tech. Sgt. James Cason, another base spokesman, said.

The disappearance of the jet had baffled the military and the public alike. How could a state-of-the-art stealth fighter go missing without a trace? Was it still flying on autopilot somewhere? Did it crash into a lake or the ocean without anyone noticing? Did the Pentagon have no way of tracking it?

“How in the h**l do you lose an F-35?” Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican and the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, wrote on her social media accounts.

“We’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?”

Joint Base Charleston had issued an unusual appeal for help, releasing a phone number for anyone who had information about the lost plane.

In coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, Joint Base Charleston had concentrated their search efforts on the vicinity of Lake Moultrie, a substantial lake situated approximately 33 miles north of Charleston, as well as Lake Marion, South Carolina's largest lake, based on the aircraft's last known position.

Williamsburg County, where the debris was discovered, lies in close proximity to the aforementioned lakes.

It was not immediately clear if anyone in the area had reported seeing or hearing a crash.

The search operation engaged a multitude of agencies, including the Marines and their Second Marine Aircraft Wing, Navy regional authorities in the Southeast, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, law enforcement teams throughout the state provided vital assistance.

The incident had also sparked jokes and memes on social media.

On Threads, the Instagram platform, Misha Collins, an actor, posted a picture of the jet and wrote, “That’s what they get for leaving the keys in the ignition. In other news, check out my new listing on Craigslist. No lowball offers!”

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Tim Robinson, the editor-in-chief of Aerospace, the magazine of the Royal Aeronautical Society, posted a photo of an F-35 on a golf course on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: “What’s the problem? I just sneaked off for a quick round of golf.”

The incident had also raised serious safety concerns.

The Marines said in a statement on Monday that Gen. Eric M. Smith, the acting commander of the Marines, had ordered all Marine Corps aviation units to conduct a two-day “pause in operations” this week to discuss aviation safety matters and best practices.

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