Authorities discover debris during search for F-35 jet

Debris from a missing F-35 military jet, valued at $100 million, has been found in rural Williamsburg County, South Carolina. The pilot successfully ejected from the plane and landed safely in a residential area in North Charleston. The public had been asked to assist in locating the jet. Military officials announced that the wreckage was discovered two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston. Search efforts had been concentrated around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, where the jet was last seen. The discovery of the debris confirmed that it was indeed the missing plane, according to military sources. It was revealed that the fighter jet was on autopilot mode when the pilot ejected, which complicated the search as the plane could have remained airborne for some time. JJ Gertler, an analyst at the Teal Group, suggested that the transponder's electronics may have been damaged during the ejection, thus preventing the military from tracking its location. Gertler also explained that the cockpit and its electronics may not have survived the rocket exhaust from the ejection, potentially hampering the ability to find a signal if the plane had entered water. Although the jet could have continued flying after the pilot's ejection, Gertler deemed it highly unlikely due to the damage caused by the ejection seat and the change in aerodynamics without the canopy. Further updates on this breaking news story will be provided.