The first leaked image of the US Navy F-35C that crashed into the sea while trying to land on an aircraft carrier last Monday (24) is already circulating on the internet. Seven servicemen were injured, including the pilot who ejected from the stealth fighter. 

The photo shows the F-35C in the waters of the South China Sea. It is possible to see that the jet is without the canopy, leaving the apparently scorched windshield, marks of the pilot's ejection. In the water, pieces of various sizes and shapes are seen near the aircraft. 

Crashed F-35C Fell off USS Carl Vinson Flight Deck into South China Sea. [768×1024] from /u/sdhka34d at #WarplanePorn ➡ https://t.co/bOnQ0wjLTj pic.twitter.com/qk1vZVESeX

— WarplanePorn (@warplane_porn) January 27, 2022

The image first appeared on Reddit, posted by the user u/sdhka34d and quickly spread across other social media on the morning of this Thursday (27). So far, no official body has commented on the photo. 

The accident occurred last Monday when the F-35C was trying to land aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) during US Navy maneuvers in the South China Sea. The causes of the accident were not reported.

Also, we're hearing this was a ramp strike, so file under “no new mishaps, just new people doing the same old mishaps.” Fifth gen or whatever, carrier aviation remains an inherently dangerous business.

— Ward Carroll 🇺🇸 (@wardcarroll) January 25, 2022

In the first statement, the Navy did not inform the status of the aircraft, confirming the day after the accident that the plane actually fell into the sea. The F-35C belonged to the VFA-147 Argonauts squadron, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2. This is the first F-35C unit to participate in an operational trip, which had start in August 2021. 

In all, seven soldiers were injured. Three, including the fighter pilot, were taken to a military hospital in the Philippines. The remaining four were treated by the aircraft carrier's medical team, three of which were released on the same day. 

Now the United States race against time to find the plane and rescue it from the bottom of the sea. The biggest concern at the moment is to prevent the F-35 and its secrets from falling into the hands of its biggest adversaries, Russia and China. With the aircraft in relatively good condition, even after crashing into the sea, things only get worse for the US.