Military Jet Crashes Into San Diego Bay—Here’s What We Know

Military Jet Crashes Into San Diego Bay – Details

Rescuers rushed to the scene when a military jet disappeared into San Diego Bay on Wednesday morning, leaving onlookers in disbelief.

A U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed into the harbor on Wednesday morning, sending its two pilots flying into the ocean, causing chaos in San Diego. San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel said they were rescued immediately and are doing well.

The two-seat EA-18G Growler, which had taken off from Naval Air Station North Island, went down at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time. Before seeing the jet’s low-altitude descent, they claimed to have heard strange noises.

A reporter reported that one onlooker called the sound “odd,” while another claimed that the plane disappeared into the ocean shortly after. After a minute or so in the bay, a nearby fishing boat rescued the pilots, who were then turned over to the Coast Guard.

Both pilots were under 24-hour medical supervision as a precaution and were reported to be recovering in a statement issued by the Navy on Wednesday night.

After the incident, a woman who saw the horrific crash was interviewed by a CBS 8 reporter. She explained how a huge black plume shot into the air as the jet hit the sea.

“The plane hit the water and there was an explosion, a lot of black plumes, and then uh, it just like got sucked into the water, and within 15 seconds there was nothing,” she said. “I don’t wish that on anybody to witness that [sic].”

The skipper of the fishing boat that saved the pilots was also interviewed by the reporter. When he and his crew saw two parachutes dropping with two persons underneath, he recounted the stressful moments.

“We were fortunately present to turn the boat around. We were able to swing by, pick them up, and safely remove them from the sea, thanks to my crew and everyone else,” he said. “Right place, right time and luckily we were there to help them out.”

A reporter from ABC 10 News also posted a video from the scene, indicating that she was a firsthand witness to the collision. “I just witnessed a U.S. Navy fighter jet slam into the water here off of Shelter Island at full speed,” she stated in the video. “It was a shocking scene for witnesses nearby, and for me and my photographer who had never seen something like this before.”

The cause of the crash is still being investigated by authorities. The pilots ejected during a go-around maneuver, which is a standard practice in which a jet cancels its landing and gets ready for another approach, according to a Navy officer.

Authorities have secured the crash scene and are requesting that anyone who finds debris report it so that it may be collected.

The Navy verified that the plane was operating out of North Island at the time and was in San Diego for the Bamboo Eagle integrated training exercise. The airfield was temporarily closed after the disaster, but it should shortly reopen so that training flights may resume.

Only a week has passed since another tragic event involving a small passenger plane, the San Diego jet disaster. Ten persons, including the pilot, were on board a Bering Air-operated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan when it disappeared over the Bering Sea near Alaska.

Days later, the plane was found after a thorough search. On Thursday, February 6, in the afternoon, the plane vanished close to Nome, sparking a massive rescue effort.

In an attempt to find the missing plane, authorities began an immediate search along the coast. An “item of interest” connected to the missing flight was discovered by a search aircraft, according to an update released by many authorities on Friday, February 7.

David Olson, Director of Operations at Bering Air, said that the Cessna had left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m., headed for Nome. Prior to disappearing from radar, its last position was detected at 3:16 p.m. over Norton Sound, according to FlightRadar data.

The 30-mile region between Nome and Topkok was the focus of rescue attempts by local search teams and the Nome Volunteer Fire Department. The jet was found about 34 miles southeast of Nome, according to a grim update on search operations released by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on Saturday, February 8.

Three people were discovered within the wreckage, the agency said in a social media statement announcing the conclusion of its search. They were all pronounced dead.

“The remaining seven people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane,” the USCG stated. The following day, the agency sent out a follow-up message expressing its condolences to the families of the victims and everyone affected by the tragedy.

In order to decide how best to recover the remaining passengers, rescue crews kept evaluating the debris. Search workers had to contend with challenging circumstances as they combed Alaska’s untamed landscape for the missing aircraft before the debris was found.

The plane vanished from radar, according to White Mountain Fire Chief Jack Adams, and teams were sent out to search a 30-mile radius, determined to keep going until they found answers.

“They are ready to spend the entire night out,” Adams said to Alaska’s News Source. “Until they or someone else discovers them, they will keep looking here. We’ll probably get another crew to go and assist if they don’t locate anything.”

It was challenging to traverse the landscape. Ground teams had to depend on the Iditarod Trail to navigate the area safely because the sea ice was in a disorganized, jumbled state. Adams prayed the aircraft had touched down safely. “Being in the water would be the worst-case scenario,” he stated.

According to Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center alerted them to the missing aircraft at approximately 4 p.m. Although ground teams from White Mountain and Nome were actively searching at the time, aerial attempts were hampered by bad weather and low visibility.

Search operations were made more difficult by near-whiteout conditions captured by an FAA weather camera in Nome during the crucial afternoon hours.

Regarding the missing aircraft, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Ben McIntyre-Coble disclosed that radar data showed a significant drop in speed and altitude at 3:18 p.m., suggesting a potential midair incident.

After receiving the emergency warning at 4:30 p.m., the Coast Guard promptly sent out an HC-130 Hercules jet from Air Station Kodiak to determine the plane’s last known location. When the plane abruptly disappeared, it was twelve miles offshore.

News of the tragedy rocked the neighborhood as authorities continued their investigation into the incident. Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska was among the many people who expressed their condolences, posting about the tragic loss on social media.

“Rose and I are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight,” Dunleavy posted to X. “The families, friends, and communities grieving this tragedy are in our thoughts and prayers.”

He also gave credit to the search team for their efforts. “We express our gratitude to the search personnel for their diligent efforts in locating the aircraft. I kindly request that everyone in Alaska remember and pray for those impacted.

Officials promised to keep obtaining information about the disaster and its cause while families and loved ones struggle with the heartbreaking news.