F-35C crash leaves US fighter jet sunken in hostile South China Sea

Fears that subs from China, which claims the area, could be first to reach wreckage that plunged from deck of aircraft carrier

The US navy is racing to salvage an F-35C fighter jet from the bottom of the South China Sea after it crashed on an aircraft carrier and plunged overboard - taking with it highly classified technology that would be a coup if China retrieved it first.

The F-35C crashed-landed on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson during routine operations on Monday, the navy said, injuring six sailors and the pilot, who ejected from the plane before it fell into the sea.