A Chinese J-15 fighter jet also known as “Flying Shark” crashed during a training exercise near Jialai Town in Hainan Province on Saturday, according to reports.
Video shared on social media shows that the fighter jet was descending slowly with its landing gear extended when it crashed. Local sources said that the aircraft crashed during routine exercises, but exact details about the location and circumstances are still unverified.
3月15日13时30分许，南部战区海军1架歼-15战斗机在进行训练时失事，坠毁于海南省临高县加来镇附近空地，飞行员成功跳伞，未造成地面附带损伤。 pic.twitter.com/AB8koNTkcC
— DS北风（风哥） (@WenJian0922) March 15, 2025
“The pilot successfully ejected, and no collateral damage was caused on the ground,” said the Southern Theater Command Navy, one of the five theater commands of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which oversees key regions, including the South China Sea.
According to the unit, the crash is currently under investigation.
J-15 fighter jet is China’s main carrier-based fighter. It operates from the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers and is based on the Russian Su-33 design. The aircraft is used for air superiority and strike missions.
This is not the first J-15 crash. In 2018, a J-15 crash killed a pilot, with mechanical failures reported. In 2019, a PLAN fighter jet crashed in Hainan, killing two pilots.
The J-15 has faced criticism in the past for being heavy and having limited range. China is working on advanced versions, including the J-15D for electronic warfare and a catapult-assisted model for future carriers.
The crash comes amid heightened military activity in the South China Sea as Beijing asserts its claims over disputed waters, raising concerns among neighboring nations like Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
