Investigators fear a £100million F-35 fighter jet crashed into the Mediterranean while taking off because the cheap rain covers had not been taken off properly.
Officials believe the rain cover was sucked into the F-35B Lightning II stealth plane's engine as it took off from the flight deck of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, forcing the pilot to eject.
Naval personnel reported seeing the cover floating in the sea nearby Britain's flagship aircraft carrier after the accident in the Mediterranean on Sunday.
Sources said the RAF pilot realised the issue and tried to abort take-off but was unable to stop the plane before the end of the ship's runway.
The UK was on Tuesday working with the US and Italy to recover the aircraft, believed to be more than a mile below the surface, amid fears Russia would try salvage the wreckage to uncover secret tech onboard.
Investigators fear a £100million F-35 fighter jet crashed on take-off because the cheap rain covers (pictured) had not been taken off
Officials believe the rain cover was sucked into the F-35B Lightning II (pictured) stealth plane's engine as it took off from the flight deck of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, forcing the pilot to eject
Sources told the Sun naval personnel realised the issue 'almost right away' because rules around removing covers and engine blanks before flights are 'incredibly strict'.
'The ground crew do it and they are incredibly strict. Then the pilot walks round.'
The Ministry of Defence has insisted 'no hostile action' was involved in the crash and on Sunday evening said the investigation was focusing on technical or human error.
After he ejected, the pilot was reportedly left dangling from the edge of the HMS Queen Elizabeth because the lines of his parachute became caught on the edge of the flight deck.
The pilot, who suffered minor injuries, is understood to have been rescued by helicopter. The pilot's family was informed of the crash before military chiefs released a statement yesterday afternoon about the incident.
An RAF pilot was forced to eject over the Mediterranean yesterday, sending his £100million stealth jet crashing into the sea
By plunging into international waters, the crash triggered a scramble to recover the next-generation jet from the sea bed before it could be reached by foreign powers, particularly Russia. Above: File image of HMS Queen Elizabeth
This map shows the approximate location of where the F-35B stealth jet crashed in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday
June 23, 2014: A USAF F-35A had a catastrophic engine fire caused by a fractured rotor which saw it turn into a blaze as it took off in Florida.
October 27, 2016: A US Marine Corp F-35B set alight mid-flight due to a fire in its weapons bay before the pilot landed safely in Beaufort, South Carolina.
September 28, 2018: All operational F-35s were grounded while a probe was launched into why a fuel tube failed in flight after a horror crash at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.
April 9, 2019: Parts of the tail of a Japanese F-35 were found in the sea around 85 miles east of Misawa during a training mission.
May 19. 2020: This F-35 crash on landing was caused by a tired, distracted pilot and unresponsive tail glitch.
September 20, 2020: A F-35 stealth fighter jet fell out of the sky and exploded on the ground after hitting a KC-130J tanker in a mid-air collision near the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California.
September 20, 2020: A F-35 stealth fighter jet fell out of the sky and exploded on the ground after hitting a KC-130J tanker in a mid-air collision near the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California
Advertisement
By plunging into international waters, the crash triggered a scramble to find the next-generation plane before it could be reached by foreign powers.
It is the first one Britain has lost and the incident is the first mishap for the RAF's F-35B fleet and for the £3billion aircraft carrier which left the UK seven months ago.
The technology aboard the US-designed aircraft, including top secret radar and sensors, is hugely sensitive as it allows the F-35 to fly 'unseen' in hostile territory at supersonic speeds.
Royal Navy servicemen are working with the Americans to recover the F-35B Lightning II from more than a mile below the surface.
The operation, shrouded in secrecy, is understood to involve divers, miniature submarines and inflatable bags
