F-16 fighter jet crashes during training in Michigan; pilot ejects safely

An F-16 fighter jet crashed during a routine training exercise in rural Michigan on Thursday, according to a military spokesman. The plane was based at a National Guard base in Alpena, approximately 190 miles north of Detroit. The pilot managed to eject safely, and received medical treatment at a local hospital. Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, a public affairs specialist with the 149th Fighter Wing, declined to disclose details about the pilot's identity or any injuries, citing military policy.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud crash and saw a plume of dark smoke in the air. One resident, Wendy Sobeck, said she and her husband initially thought it might have been a car accident, but upon closer inspection, they saw plane debris in a field and explosions occurring.