They aired images of the US F-35 falling into the sea

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) – Pictures of an F-35 fighter jet U.S. Navy crashes into sea It was revealed earlier this week from South China.

The F-35C, a single-engine stealth fighter jet and a U.S. Navy new jet collided with the USS Carl Vinson during routine operations Monday, the Navy said.

Naval officials say a $ 100 million fighter jet crashed into the water after the pilot of the 100,000-ton aircraft carrier struck the airstrip and was ejected. The pilot and six sailors aboard the Vinson were injured.

A spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said Friday that an investigation into the incident was ongoing and confirmed that the images that appeared on social media after the crash were genuine.

“The ship estimates that the video and photo covered by the media today were taken on board the USS Carl Vinson,” said Haley Sims, public relations officer for the 7th Fleet.

A still photo shows a stealth fighter floating on the surface of the South China Sea, with its cockpit open and its exhaust seat missing.

F-35 crash

A video shows the approach to landing on an F-35 carrier, but the aircraft cuts before hitting the flight deck.

The Navy said earlier this week that damage to the Vinson ship had only been deep in the skin, and that the carrier’s fleet had resumed normal operations.

Another 7th Fleet spokesman, Lieutenant Nicholas Lingo, said efforts were underway to recover the warplane from the bottom of the South China Sea.

Analysts said the lifting of the plane would be a complex operation and that nearly 21 million square kilometers of the South China Sea would be overseen by China, which claims China as its border.

The F-35C has some advanced technology from the Navy, and analysts say Washington wants to keep it out of Beijing’s hands.

However, China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday it was aware of a US Navy hijacked fighter jet in the South China Sea, but said it was “not interested in its aircraft.”

“We advise [a EE.UU.] It contributes more to regional peace and stability than it does to force at all times [el Mar Meridional de China]Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

– CNN’s Beijing Bureau contributed to this report.