March 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy and local authorities were searching on Sunday for the pilot of an F/A-18C fighter jet that crashed during a training mission near a Nevada air base, the Navy said.
Initial reports show the aircraft, which crashed mid-afternoon on Saturday, was a total loss, the Navy said in a statement.
The crash occurred on the Fallon Range Training Complex, about 70 miles east of Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada in a rugged and remote mountainous area.
Navy personnel took several hours to reach the crash site, and a snowstorm overnight also hindered efforts.
The plane was a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C on loan to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center for training.
The cause of the crash will be investigated, the Navy said.
(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
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