Hong Kong (CNN) Search efforts may be closing in on the wreckage of a Japanese F-35 stealth fighter that crashed into the Pacific Ocean two weeks ago, perplexing investigators and raising questions about the reliability of world's most-advanced warplane. The US-designed F-35 is considered to be the best stealth jet technology in operation. It's sudden and unexplained disappearance from radar just minutes into a training flight over the Pacific has raised concerns that China or Russia could try to get to access to the wreckage, though both US and Japanese officials have dismissed the idea. In response to a question regarding the security of the wreckage during a visit to Washington last week, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said the country's naval forces were keeping close watch on the search area. On Tuesday, Iwaya announced plans to dispatch a civilian deep-sea research vessel to the search area east of the northern tip of the Japanese main island of Honshu .

Source: CNN April 24, 2019 04:18 UTC