A spokesman says a Sri Lankan air force fighter jet has crashed during a training exercise. The pilot ejected before impact Monday and is safe.

Air Force spokesman Group Capt. Andrew Wijesuriya said the MiG-27 aircraft crashed in Marawila, about 60 km north of the capital of Colombo on Monday. The cause of the crash was not immediately announced.

The jets, which were extensively deployed against Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka which ended in May 2009, are currently used by the military only for training exercises.