The historic first landing of an F-35 on the deck of the Royal Navy’s brand new aircraft carrier, HMS ‘Queen Elizabeth,’ experienced a slight hiccup after the triumphant pilot slipped and fell flat on his face.
The slapstick comedy scene was captured on CCTV footage that was later leaked on the internet. The video shows the moments after the F-35 Lighting pilot climbed out of his fighter jet. After shaking hands with several colleagues, the pilot trips and hits the carrier’s deck face-first. A crew member then rushes to his aid.
The footage was reportedly taken during a joint exercise with the US, and marks the first time that HMS ‘Queen Elizabeth’ had welcomed a British F-35 on its deck.
Although the pilot doesn’t seem to be badly hurt by the stumble, some have speculated that the mishap may come with a hefty price tag. The pilot’s high-tech helmet – specifically designed for the F-35 – costs around £250,000 ($324,600).
Britain’s Ministry of Defense told the Daily Star that it has launched a probe to determine who leaked the embarrassing CCTV footage.
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