The remains of the two crew members in one US Navy jet that crashed nearby Mount Rainier in Washington state has been found, the Navy announced Sunday afternoon.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commander of the Airmen’s Electronic Attack Squadron, in the press release.
“Our priority right now is caring for the families of our fallen airmen… We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased.”
Ganci said they could not identify the missing crew until 24 hours after their families were notified of their status.
The jet — an EA-18G Growler aircraft — was carrying two crew members when it went down during a routine training flight on Tuesday, the Navy said in an earlier statement.
The the wreckage of the crashed jet was discovered at about 12:30 a.m. Pacific Time by aircrews on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier on Wednesday after an extensive multi-day search.
The search took place near Mount Rainier, a mighty active volcano that is covered in snowfields and glaciers year-round. Search crews battled remote terrain and harsh weather.
The jet was based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in northwest Washington.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
The crashed jet is part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130, which prides itself on being the oldest electronic warfare squadron in the Navy.
According to the squadron’s websiteThe EA-18G Growler’s sensors and weapons “provide the warfighter with a lethal and survivable weapon system to counter current and emerging threats.”
Last December, a Navy surveillance plan exceeded a lane at a military base in Hawaii and splashed into Kaneohe Bay, but all nine on board were unharmed.
contributed to this report.