Navy Confirms Deaths of Two Crew Members in Aircraft Crash Near Mount Rainier
Two US Navy aviators who went missing after their aircraft crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington State during a routine training flight have been confirmed dead, according to Navy officials.
The incident took place on October 15, and the crew members were onboard a Boeing EA-18G Growler, a specialized electronic attack aircraft.
The aircraft, part of the Navy’s VAQ-130 “Zappers” squadron, crashed in a remote and heavily wooded area at about 6,000 feet altitude. Search and rescue efforts were launched immediately, with teams from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, supported by soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, combing the rugged terrain for days. However, on Sunday, the Navy announced that the operation had shifted from search and rescue to recovery, confirming the loss of the crew members.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-130, in a statement posted on social media.
The names of the crew members have not yet been released pending notification of their families.
The VAQ-130 squadron, which is based on Whidbey Island near Seattle, is the oldest electronic warfare squadron in the US Navy. The unit had recently returned from a deployment in the Middle East, where it conducted nearly 700 combat missions aimed at degrading the capabilities of the Houthi militant group in Yemen and ensuring the safety of international shipping in the region.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
“Our priority right now is taking care of the families of our fallen aviators and ensuring the well-being of our Sailors and the Growler community,” Commander Warburton added.
The New York Times contributed to this report.
