China's search for Wang Wei, the missing Chinese jet fighter pilot, concluded at 18:00 Saturday and the pilot was assumed dead.

Wang Wei parachuted after a US surveillance plane rammed into his fighter jet and crashed it on April 1. The Chinese navy and other units then began a large-scale search.

By 18:00 Saturday, the Navy had dispatched a total of 113 warship missions and 115 aircraft sorties for the search and rescue. There have also been more than 1,000 search missions by civilian vessels from the Ministry of Communications and Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

The military and civilian search forces have covered about 83, 000 sq. km of the South China Sea, including islets and shoals.

They have also carefully searched along coastlines covering more than 200 kilometers.

Experts believe that there is no possibility of Wang Wei returning alive with all conditions taken into consideration.

According to a decision made by the Navy Party Committee, Wang Wei was on duty tracing and monitoring the U.S. military surveillance plane on the morning of April 1.

Wang parachuted out after his fighter jet was rammed and destroyed by the U.S. plane.

"Wang died a glorious death," said the decision, adding that in accordance with the regulations on citing martyrs, the Navy Party Committee approved Wang Wei to be a martyr.

(Xinhua 04/14/2001)