UPDATED: Fund started for daughter of pilot who died in F-18 crash

Then Captain Taj Sareen, right, in 2012 when he was also the squadron's quality assurance safety officer, conducting pre-flight checks to ordnance loaded before flight operations
Picture: USMC/Cpl Vanessa Jimenez ANL-151023-110022001 — Then Captain Taj Sareen, right, in 2012 when he was also the squadron's quality assurance safety officer, conducting pre-flight checks to ordnance loaded before flight operations Picture: USMC/Cpl Vanessa Jimenez ANL-151023-110022001

The US Marine Corps at his Californian base say Major Sareen joined the corps in February 2005 and had been awarded two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and one Air Medal - Strike/Flight 5.

He died after his F/A-18C Hornet jet crashed onto farmland at Redmere Fen, near Littleport.

Eyewitnesses say he appeared to steer the jet away from houses.

The fighter had gone down as it left nearby RAF Lakenheath bound for the US Marine Corps’ airbase at Miramar near San Diego, California.

A spokesman for the Miramar marine base said Maj Sareen was deployed as part of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command 15.2 and was returning with his squadron after a six-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve against so called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Maj Gen Michael Rocco, commanding general of 3rd Marine Air Wing, said last night (Thursday): “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and fellow Marines of Maj Sareen, and we are currently providing support to those affected by this tragic incident.”

Maj Sareen, 34, a native of Hillsborough, California, was previously deployed with VMFA-232, one of the corps oldest squadrons nicknamed Red Devils, to Afghanistan in 2010 and was an instructor at Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101.

Picture Mark Westley ANL-151021-140312009

Maj Sareen’s friend San Diego news anchor and reporter Preston Phillips tweeted yesterday: “A friend. A hero. An all around great guy. You will be greatly missed Taj, but you will never be forgotten. R.I.P.”

The MoD said an investigation will be carried out by the UK Defence Safety Authority in collaboration with US authorities.

RAF Lakenheath has asked members of the public who find anything they think might be associated with the crash site to leave it undisturbed and contact either Cambridgeshire or Norfolk Police.

A Go Fund Me website has been started to raise money to support Maj Sareen’s one-year-old daughter Jade later in life.

It was started by Annie Driscoll, who had known him from their pilot training in 2005.

Ms Driscoll wrote: “This is to also serve as a way for people to tell Jade about the amazing man her father was. To teach her about his incredible character and allow his story to live on thru her.”

The site has raised more than $44,000 in three days. To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/inmemoryoftaj