TAIPEI, Taiwan

A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet crashed off the island's eastern coast Tuesday evening, prompting a search and rescue operation for the pilot, according to the Central News Agency.

The Air Force said that the F-16 was on a routine training mission and the pilot, identified as Capt. Hsin, is believed to have ejected from the aircraft in Hualien County, according to the news agency.

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has instructed all relevant agencies to spare no effort in locating the pilot and determining the cause of the accident, according to a statement issued on US social media platform Facebook.