South Korea finds fighter jet wreckage,2 feared dead

SEOUL, June 8 (Reuters) South Korea has found the wreckage of an Air Force F-15K fighter that crashed into the sea, and fears the two pilots aboard were killed, a military official said today.

The jet, which went missing yesterday, is one four US Boeing F-15Ks fighters delivered to South Korea last year. The country plans to acquire 40 of these planes by 2008 in a 4 billion dollar deal to modernise its defences.

An Air Force official told reporters South Korea was investigating the cause of the crash over waters to the east of the country. Large parts of the wreckage were found floating in the sea.

The incident would not affect the country's plans to purchase the fighters from Boeing, the official added.

REUTERS PR HS0934