CF-18 havarert nær Cold Lake, Alberta - Curt Lewis

Canadian fighter pilot killed in jet crash: military

A Canadian Armed Forces CF-18 Fighter jet arrives at the Canadian Air Task Force Flight Operations Area in Kuwait on October 28, 2014 in this Canadian Forces handout photo received October 29, 2014. REUTERS/Canadian Forces Combat Camera, DND/Handout

A Canadian CF-18 fighter pilot was killed on Monday when his single-seat jet crashed in a training area near Cold Lake, Alberta, the country's military said.

"The name will not be released until next of kin are notified," the Department of National Defence said in a statement. "A flight safety investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the incident."

In a tweet, the Royal Canadian Air Force called the crash an accident, but did not elaborate. The defense department said there were no other casualties.

The incident happened near the community of Cold Lake, which is close to the neighboring province of Saskatchewan and is home to 4 Wing Cold Lake, the busiest fighter base in Canada, according to the defense department.

The pilot involved was from 4 Wing and crashed his CF-188 Hornet at about 11 a.m. in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range in Saskatchewan, said Captain Mat Strong, public affairs officer for the base.

A defense department spokeswoman said helicopters were dispatched following the incident.

The base, used to train Canada's fighter pilots, attracts international crews to its annual air combat exercise, Maple Flag, according to the department.