The pilot ejected after an unexplained training incident near Spangdahlem Air Base

A US Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed near an American military base in western Germany on Tuesday, with the pilot ejecting before impact.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, went down near Spangdahlem Air Base in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at around 2:30pm local time, the US military said. The pilot was taken for medical treatment.

According to Germany’s air traffic control authority, four F-16s had been taking part in a training exercise. Two remained in the training area while the other two returned toward Spangdahlem, with one believed to have crashed while approaching the base. The remaining aircraft subsequently landed at Ramstein Air Base.

Videos from the area showed a large plume of dark smoke rising near the base as emergency crews responded to the crash.