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Navy jet crashes in California but pilot ejects safely

The military says the pilot was taken to a local medical facility for examination, and a statement said the flight was a routine training mission.
Credit: U.S. Department of Defense
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 flies above the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), not pictured, in the Pacific Ocean May 31, 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Chris Cavagnaro/Released)

A Navy fighter jet crashed Tuesday in the Mojave Desert but its pilot safely ejected, the Navy said.

The F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California's Central Valley went down during a routine training mission in Superior Valley south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, the Lemoore base said in a Facebook post.

"The pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local medical facility for examination," it said. 

The statement said the Navy was cooperating with local authorities and contained no further details.

China Lake is about 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. Lemoore is about 135 miles (217 kilometers) northwest of China Lake. 

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