US Air Force plane crashes into North Sea

London: A US Air Force fighter plane with one pilot on board crashed into the North Sea on Monday. The status of the pilot wasn''t known.

The F-15C Eagle from the 48th Fighter Wing was on a routine training mission from RAF Lakenheath when it crashed at 9:40 am local time (4:40 am EDT). The cause of the crash wasn''t immediately clear.

UK search and rescue authorities are taking part in the search of the crash site.

Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force base that hosts the US Air Force''s 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing. The base is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of London.