A US Marine fighter jet crashed Tuesday morning off the coast of the southeastern state of Florida, and the Coast Guard has deployed ships and aircraft to search for the pilot.

The single-seat fighter plane, an AV-8B Harrier jet, was reportedly missing about 30 kilometers east of St. Augustine, Florida.

The Coast Guard said it had deployed several aircraft and vessels to search for the pilot. The Navy was also participating in the search.

The AV-8B was a light attack aircraft that could take off and land vertically.

Source: Xinhua