The remains of a Navy plane that crashed Tuesday afternoon were located on the eastern slopes of Mount Rainier in Washington state, officials said.
The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday night that air search teams had discovered the remains of an EA-18G Growler that crashed around 12:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
The plane has been located, but the safety of the two crew members remains unknown as search operations continue.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, where the plane was based, said the EA-18G Growler, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, was on a routine training flight at about 3:25 p.m. It was reported that the plane had crashed.
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FILE – A Boeing EA-18G Growler aircraft from U.S. Navy Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-141 crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington on Tuesday, and the wreckage was discovered Wednesday night. (Damon Coulter/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images)
Following the discovery of the jet wreckage, an emergency operations center was established at NAS Whidbey Island to coordinate response efforts.
The Navy is also preparing to secure the remote area where the jet crashed. This remote area cannot be accessed by motorized vehicles.
“As Team Whidbey continues to respond to our tragic accident, NAS Whidbey Island Squadron (VAQ, VP, VQ, TOCRON 10, SAR) Thank you for the great teamwork.” This was announced by the US Pacific Fleet. “We are also grateful to local law enforcement, response personnel, and tribal communities whose collaboration has been essential as we plan critical next steps toward accessing the scene.”
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A U.S. Navy Growler fighter jet crashed near Mount Rainier on Tuesday during a routine training exercise. (Photo by Thomas O'Neill/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The investigation into the crash is ongoing and the Navy said it will release more information as it becomes available.
The EA-18G is a variant of the F/A-18 family of aircraft and is equipped with an advanced electronic warfare suite used for tactical interdiction and electronic protection, according to the Navy's website. This jet was built to replace the EA-6B Prowler and was first produced in October 2004.
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The jet made its maiden flight in August 2006, and the aircraft's first delivery took place on June 3, 2008 to VAQ 129 at NAS Whidbey Island.
Each plane costs $67 million.
