(MENAFN) Emergency crews rushed to a remote California desert site Wednesday after a U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet plummeted into a dry lake bed, forcing the pilot to eject mid-flight.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department deployed units to assist China Lake emergency personnel with extinguishing flames from the downed aircraft, which crashed near Trona in the China Lake region. Responders arrived to find wreckage scattered across the barren lake bed.

The lone aviator aboard sustained injuries that authorities classified as non-fatal and received immediate medical attention at the crash site before being airlifted to a nearby medical facility, fire officials confirmed.

"There is no threat to surrounding vegetation from the fire," the department posted on X, the social platform owned by a U.S. technology firm, urging civilians to steer clear of the vicinity while emphasizing "there is no threat to the community."

The Thunderbirds—the aerial demonstration team representing the U.S. Air Force—issued their own account of the emergency, confirming a pilot had successfully ejected from an F-16C at roughly 10:45 a.m. local time (1845GMT).

The jet went down during a routine training exercise within restricted airspace, the squadron reported.

"The pilot is in stable condition and receiving follow-on care," officials stated.

Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and China Lake Emergency Management took operational control of the accident scene.

MENAFN04122025000045017169ID1110434836