F-18 Fighter jet crashes in Finland, pilot ejects to safety

The crashed McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet HN-409 Finnish Air Force here seen at Leeuwarden Air Base in 2016.The crashed McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet HN-409 Finnish Air Force here seen at Leeuwarden Air Base in 2016. | Rob Vogelaar
HELSINKI, May 7 A F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet with serial HN-409 belonging to the Finnish Air Force crashed near Rovaniemi Airport in Finnish Lapland on Wednesday morning, the country’s military said, adding that the pilot had ejected from the aircraft and was taken to hospital.
Smoke was seen rising from the general direction of where the aircraft went down and there was a strong smell of smoke in the air, public broadcaster Yle reported. The area was cordoned off by local police.
 
Photo Rob Vogelaar