A U.S. Navy aircraft, specifically an EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, crashed east of Mount Rainier in Washington state on Tuesday evening during a routine training flight.
Unfortunately, the status of the two crew members on board remains unknown as of 7 p.m. on October 15.
A search operation is ongoing, with a Navy MH-60S helicopter launched from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, joining the efforts .
The EA-18G Growler is part of the F/A-18 family of aircraft and is operated by Electronic Attack Squadron 130, also known as VAQ-130, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Notably, VAQ-130 is the oldest electronic warfare squadron in the Navy.
The Navy has not released further information on the incident, but it’s expected to provide updates as more details become available.