US Navy jet with two onboard crashes near Mount Rainier, search operation under way
The US Navy on Wednesday was searching for two aviators after their plane crashed during a routine training flight the previous day. The crash occurred east of Mount Rainier around 3.23 pm (local time), according to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
The aircraft involved was an EA-18G Growler jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron. Search teams, including a US Navy MH-60S helicopter, were dispatched from NAS Whidbey Island to find the crew and investigate the crash site, as per AP reports.
Navy officials are uncertain if the two crew members ejected before the crash. The incident remains under investigation.
The EA-18G Growler, equipped with advanced electronic warfare technology, is similar to the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Most Growler squadrons are based at Whidbey Island, with one squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.
“The EA-18G Growler aircraft we fly represents the most advanced technology in airborne Electronic Attack and stands as the Navy’s first line of defense in hostile environments,” the Navy stated on its website. Each aircraft has a pilot and an electronics operator and costs about $67 million.
The search effort took place in rainy and cloudy weather near Mount Rainier. The area is known for its year-round snowfields and glaciers.
In another incident earlier this year, an F-35 fighter jet crashed in New Mexico, injuring the pilot. In a separate incident last year, eight US Air Force personnel died when a CV-22B Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan.
The EA-18G Growler began operating at Whidbey Island in 2008 and has supported various major actions globally over the past 15 years.
