WASHINGTON: Seven US military personnel were hurt on Monday when an F-35C warplane had a “landing mishap” on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea and the pilot ejected, the U.S Navy said.

A Navy statement said the incident happened during “routine flight operations” in the South China Sea. “The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft and was recovered via U.S. military helicopter,” it said. “The pilot is in stable condition. There were seven total Sailors injured.”