Search Underway for Navy Jet Crew After Crash Near Mount Rainier

On Tuesday afternoon, a tragic accident occurred when an EA-18G Growler aircraft belonging to the United States Navy crashed east of Mount Rainier, Washington. A regular training flight that was departing from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) was involved in the accident, which took place at approximately 3:23 p.m. It is yet unknown what happened to the two crew members who were on board.

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The incident occurred as the aircraft was engaged in routine training activities, as stated by officials from the National Airspace Welfare Institute (NASWI). Immediately after the crash occurred, a Navy MH-60S helicopter was sent to the location of the accident, and search and rescue operations were initiated in the difficult terrain that surrounded Mount Rainier. It has been attempted numerous times, but there has been no contact established with the crew, and as of Tuesday evening, it is still unknown what their current position is.

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In order to ascertain the reason for the incident, the Navy has announced that an investigation is currently being conducted. In a statement, the National Association of State Women and Girls (NASWI) highlighted that additional information would be released as data become available. "As of 7 p.m. on Oct. 15, the status of the two crew members remains unknown," according to the official statement.

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The aircraft was a member of the "Zappers" squadron (VAQ-130) stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The squadron successfully completed a recent combat deployment onboard the United States Navy ship Dwight D. Eisenhower, where it served as the only EA-18G Growler unit within Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3.

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The search and rescue activities are still ongoing, and the Navy requests that people be patient as they work their way over the challenging terrain. Officials are determined to discover answers in the coming days, and the inquiry into the reason for the incident is still ongoing.

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