US Marine pilot dead after Japan fighter crash

A US Marine Corps pilot whose F/A-18 crashed into the Pacific Ocean has been confirmed dead, a US official said Thursday. Japanese rescuers earlier said they had found the missing pilot, whose plane crashed off the coast of Japan on Wednesday, but they would not say if he was alive. Marine Corps spokeswoman Captain Sarah Burns said the pilot had been "pronounced deceased," and she identified him as Captain Jake Frederick. "Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the pilot. The cause of the crash is still unknown," Burns said. Earlier Thursday, Japanese and US rescuers said they had expanded their search following the accident, which happened some 90 kilometres (56 miles) off the coast of southwestern Kochi prefecture. Japan dispatched four ships and eight planes to assist in the rescue operation, it said. Another jet was also flying on the same mission, Japan's defence ministry said. The crashed plane was assigned to the US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, one of the main US military bases in Japan, which hosts tens of thousands of US military personnel. The accident came as US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter visited Japan as part of his last Asian tour.