Vanishing Act: USMC's F-35 Stealth Jet Disappears Into Thin Air, And The Jokes Are Flowing...

The jet, one of 353 in the USMC's possession, was involved in an incident on Sunday afternoon, according to an official statement from Joint Base Charleston (JBC).

The pilot of the aircraft, assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, successfully ejected and is currently in stable condition. However, the location of the jet remains unknown.

September 18, 2023

JBC's statement, released on X, indicated that the search for the missing aircraft is concentrated north of the base, around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion. This is based on the jet's last known position and in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The search is primarily focused on Lake Moultrie, a body of water that spans 60,000 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 75.47 feet.

 WATCH: WHY KASH PATEL FILED A MAJOR LAWSUIT AGAINST FBI DIRECTOR?

Jeremy Huggins, a spokesperson for JBC, explained to the Washington Post that the jet's transponder was not functioning for undetermined reasons, prompting the call for public assistance. "The aircraft is stealth, so it has different coatings and different designs that make it more difficult than a normal aircraft to detect," Huggins added.

September 18, 2023

Newsweek reported that the jet, equipped with autopilot capabilities, could potentially travel hundreds of miles, suggesting that Americans in distant locations might also contribute to its discovery.

 WATCH: ROGER STONE MOCKS CHUCK SCHUMER’S DECISION TO LOOSEN SENATE DRESS CODE

The Air Force, assisting the Marine Corps in the search, defines a "mishap" as an unplanned event or series of events resulting in damage to Department of Defense (DoD) property, occupational illness to DoD personnel, injury to DoD military or civilian personnel, or damage to public or private property, or injury or illness to non-DoD personnel, caused by DoD activities.

Given the high cost of the aircraft, this incident would likely be classified as a Class A Mishap. This is not the first such incident involving an F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter. In December last year, a similar aircraft crashed in Texas, with the pilot also managing to eject safely, as reported by USNI News.

 CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT LAUNCHES LAWSUIT AGAINST SACRAMENTO, DECLARES 'THIRD-WORLD CONDITIONS'

The public request for assistance has sparked a wave of online humor, with social media users posting photoshopped images and jokes about the missing jet. In response to JBC's appeal, one user quipped, "Finders keepers." Another tweeted, "Gray with white spots, approx. 24,000 pounds, answers to the name 'Stealthy.'"

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) also joined the online banter, tweeting, "What are the F-35's pronouns?" Memes referencing popular culture, such as the 2000 Ashton Kutcher film "Dude, Where's My Car?" and the "Where's Waldo?" series, have also surfaced.

JBC has urged anyone who may have seen a smoldering multimillion-dollar wreck north of Charleston to contact them at 843-963-3600.