Search Intensifies for Navy EA-18G Crew Missing Near Mount Rainier as Weather Hampers Efforts

Search and rescue teams are facing challenging terrain and cloudy weather in their continuous efforts to find a missing Navy flight crew near Mount Rainier, Washington. The two-person team aboard an EA-18G Growler, a Navy electronic warfare aircraft, went missing after the jet crashed during a standard training exercise on Tuesday.

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Following the incident, a joint effort involving Navy, Army, and civilian aircraft, along with specialized Navy reconnaissance planes and submarine detection units, has been initiated to search the region. The Navy has announced that aerial operations are ongoing, with search teams deploying from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, concentrating their efforts on a region roughly 30 miles west of Yakima.

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“As of 11 a.m. on Oct. 16, the crew and wreckage have not yet been found,” a Navy spokesperson stated. The aircraft that is currently unaccounted for belongs to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, which is based at NAS Whidbey Island. This squadron operates under Carrier Air Wing 3, which is assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Whidbey Island is the central location for the Navy’s EA-18G Growlers, encompassing training operations for pilots and electronic warfare officers.

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The search efforts are supported by EP-3E Aries II and P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which are outfitted with sophisticated signal intelligence and anti-submarine capabilities. Ground teams, comprising NAS Whidbey Island Search and Rescue and Army helicopters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, are actively participating in the search efforts.

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The reason behind the crash is still unknown, and the Navy has not provided additional information regarding the circumstances of the jet's disappearance during its training mission.

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