TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A Taiwanese Air Force pilot was rescued Tuesday night (Sept. 10) after ejecting from a Mirage-2000 jet that crashed into the sea during a night training mission, the Ministry of National Defense (國防部) said. The incident occurred at 8:05 p.m., off the coast of Hsinchu County (新竹縣), and the pilot safely parachuted into the water.
The jet, part of the Air Force's 2nd Tactical Fighter Wing (空軍第二聯隊), lost power shortly after taking off from Hsinchu Air Base (新竹基地), according to the ministry. A swift search and rescue mission was ordered by Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄), involving both air and sea forces to locate the pilot and investigate the cause of the crash.
Capt. Hsieh Pei-hsun (謝沛勳), the pilot, was found by a Coast Guard vessel (No. 3580) at 10:39 p.m., approximately two hours after the crash. Hsieh was in stable condition when brought aboard the rescue vessel and was immediately transported to a hospital for further treatment.
The Ministry of National Defense confirmed that an investigation into the crash is underway. Mirage-2000 jets have been in service with Taiwan's Air Force since the late 1990s, playing a vital role in both training exercises and operational missions.