Body, wreckage recovered

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Wreckage of an F-16 fighter that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday morning and the remains of the pilot have been recovered, Air Force officials said. The jet fighter was on a routine training mission when Tyndall lost contact with the pilot. The search area was at a location some 57 miles south of Panama City, Fla. The plane, a single-seat F-16C, was assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Squadron. The name of the pilot is being withheld pending notification of relatives. Tyndall, home of the 325th Fighter Wing, trains F-22 pilots and has an operational F-22 squadron. The base provides air dominance training and, along with nearby Eglin Air Force Base, performs weapons evaluation missions. (Sources: multiple, including Panama City News Herald, 11/06/14)