JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. Marine pilot, whose AV-8B Harrier plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, is recovering at a Florida hospital after the Coast Guard rescued him.
The plane crashed off the coast of St. Augustine, Fla., and the pilot had been in the water for more than four hours before being rescued.
The Coast Guard, which transported the pilot to the Naval Station Mayport near Jacksonville, said he was suffering from mild hypothermia, but appeared to be in good condition, reports CNN. No other details about the pilot were available.
Witnesses said the plane went into the water about 20 miles east of St. Augustine and they saw a parachute deploy from the aircraft.
The Harrier "jump jet" is a single-seat combat aircraft that can take off and land vertically, giving it the flexibility to operate from a variety of ships and makeshift airfields, CNN reported.
