The U.S. Navy has located the wreckage of a fighter jet that crashed during a routine training flight in mountainous terrain in Washington state. The EA-18G Growler jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron crashed east of Mount Rainier on Tuesday afternoon. The two crew members onboard are currently missing.
Search teams, including a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, were dispatched from NAS Whidbey Island to locate the crew and examine the crash site. The wreckage was found on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier on Wednesday afternoon. The remote crash site is not accessible by motorized vehicles, and search teams are being deployed into the area despite expected snowfall in the Cascades over the weekend.
It is unclear whether the crew members were able to eject before the crash, as the investigation is ongoing. The EA-18G Growler, similar to the F/A-18F Super Hornet, is equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare devices and is primarily based at Whidbey Island. The aircraft is known for its advanced technology in airborne Electronic Attack and is a key asset in hostile environments.
The Navy highlighted that the Growler has been deployed globally over the past 15 years, supporting major actions. Each aircraft costs approximately $67 million and accommodates a pilot and an electronics operator. Military aircraft training exercises and operations can be perilous, sometimes resulting in crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
In a separate incident in May, an F-35 fighter jet crashed in New Mexico after refueling, with the pilot sustaining serious injuries. Last year, a CV-22B Osprey aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan, resulting in the tragic loss of eight U.S. Air Force special Operations Command service members.
The search for the missing crew members near Mount Rainier continues amidst challenging weather conditions. Mount Rainier, an active volcano, is known for its snowfields and glaciers, adding complexity to the search operation.
