LONDON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. fighter plane crashed in the North Sea off the coast of northeast England on Monday during a training mission and the pilot is missing, the U.S. Air Force said.

The F-15C Eagle, from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, crashed while on a routine training mission with one pilot on board, according to a statement from the U.S. Air Force.

"The cause of the crash as well as the status of the pilot are unknown at this time, and UK Search and Rescue have been called to support," the statement said.

A major search operation has been launched off the East Yorkshire coast, where the jet crash happened, British media reported.