Wreckage of crashed U.S. Navy jet found near Washington's Mount Rainier
The wreckage of a U.S. Navy jet that crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington state has been found, the Navy announced late Wednesday afternoon.
The crashed EA-18G Growler aircraft was spotted at about 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time by aerial search crews on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier, the Navy said. The jet carrying two crew members had gone down during a routine training flight Tuesday, the Navy said in a previous statement.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the status of the two crew members was still unknown, the Navy said. Their identities have not been released.
The Navy said its statement that it was "making preparations to deploy personnel to secure the remote area that is not accessible by motorized vehicles."
The jet was based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in northwest Washington.
Multiple search and rescue assets launched from the air station Tuesday for the search effort. More helicopters joined the search Wednesday, according to a Navy official.
Search crews battled remote terrain and tough weather. Heavy snow and patchy fog were in Wednesday's forecast for Mount Rainier, according to the National Weather Service. Between 5 and 9 inches of snow were possible.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a flight ban around the search area, CBS affiliate KIRO-TV reported.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
The crashed jet is part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130, which boasts being the oldest electronic warfare squadron in the Navy.
According to the squadron's website, the EA-18G Growler's sensors and weapons "provides the warfighter with a lethal and survivable weapon system to counter current and emerging threats."
Last December, a Navy surveillance plane overshot a runway at a military base in Hawaii and splashed into Kaneohe Bay, but all nine aboard were uninjured.