Fighter jet crashes in Washington, killing 2 pilots.

(CLO) Two crew members who went missing after a fighter jet crashed in Washington state have been pronounced dead, the U.S. Navy said Sunday.

An EA-18G Growler fighter jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron crashed east of Mount Rainier Tuesday afternoon, according to information from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Search teams, including a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, have been deployed from the base to search for the crew and the crash site.

An EA-18G Growler. Photo: Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times

Army Task Force soldiers were deployed to reach the rubble, located at an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote, steep, and heavily forested area east of Mount Rainier, according to officials.

According to the U.S. Navy, the pilots' names will not be released until their families have been notified, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Finding the missing crew members "as quickly and safely as possible" is the top priority, according to Colonel David Ganci, commander of the Electronic Attack Squadron, U.S. Pacific Fleet, speaking on Thursday.

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is equipped with advanced electronic warfare equipment. The majority of Growler squadrons are based at Whidbey Island. Another squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Base Iwakuni, Japan.

The first EA-18G Growler entered service at Whidbey Island in 2008. Over the past 15 years, Growler aircraft have operated globally supporting major operations, according to the Navy. The aircraft has two seats: a pilot in the front and an electronics technician in the rear. Each aircraft costs approximately $67 million.

In May, an F-35 fighter jet en route from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after stopping for refueling in New Mexico. The pilot was the only person on board and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Last year, eight members of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command were killed when a CV-22B Osprey they were flying crashed off the coast of Japan.

Hong Hanh (according to AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/may-bay-chien-dau-roi-o-bang-washington-2-phi-cong-tu-nan-post317686.html