WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A pilot from the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson ejected safely at sea conducting routine flight operations south of the Philippines, the U.S. Navy said in a statement on Friday.

It said the incident occurred as the F/A-18E was on a final approach to the carrier. The pilot was recovered by a helicopter and there were no apparent injuries, the statement said.

The statement did not say when the incident occurred. The United States has said an aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson, is heading toward the Korean Peninsula,