On Tuesday night, a pilot went missing after ejecting from a Mirage 2000 fighter jet during a nighttime training exercise in Taiwan. The incident occurred when the fighter jet lost power at approximately 8 p.m. local time, as reported by Taiwan's defense ministry. Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate the pilot.
The Mirage 2000 jets were procured by Taiwan from France in the 1990s and are a crucial part of the island's air force, along with U.S.-made F-16Vs. The ill-fated aircraft was flying over the waters near Hsinchu, a city situated just south of Taipei on Taiwan's west coast.
Taiwan, a self-ruled island, frequently faces military exercises near its waters conducted by China. The Chinese government claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of military force to assert control over the island. This ongoing tension has led to a state of alert within Taiwan's defense forces.
