A US$78 million stealth F-35B fighter jet went missing near the Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina Sunday afternoon and its whereabouts has eluded officials. .The pilot was rushed to a nearby medical facility and is reported to be in stable condition..The reason for the crash is not yet uncovered. .With the pilot safe and sound after ejecting from the aircraft, the military is scrambling to find the advanced Lockheed Martin Lightning II jet, and is calling on the public for assistance to find it. .Jeremy Huggins, spokesman for Joint Base Charleston, said the jet’s transponder, a locator tool for the aircraft, was not functioning properly. He said the matter is still under investigation and did not disclose what kind of mission the pilot was on. .“For some reason, that we haven’t yet determined,” Huggins told the Washington Post. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”.“The aircraft is stealth, so it has different coatings and different designs that make it more difficult than a normal aircraft to detect,” he added. .Huggins said the search is based on the jet’s last known location, which was "around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion.".The base put out an open call on social media to encourage the public to join in the search for the missing fighter jet. .“We’re working with @MCASBeaufortSC to locate an F-35 that was involved in a mishap this afternoon,” the post reads. “The pilot ejected safely. If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center.”.Newsweek reported the jet could travel for hundreds of miles on autopilot, meaning Americans farther afield might similarly play a role in its location, says Blaze News..The wit and wisdom of social media users was evident, reports Blaze..In response to JBC's request for help finding the missing aircraft, one user wrote, "Finders keepers.".Another user tweeted, "Gray with white spots, approx. 24,000 pounds, answers to the name 'Stealthy.'".Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tweeted, "What are the F-35's pronouns?"."Dude, Where's My F-35?" read one meme, referencing the 2000 Ashton Kutcher film "Dude, Where's My Car?" about a pair of irresponsible wastoids who lose track of their vehicle after a night of debauchery.
