US Navy Searching for Two Crew Members After Aircraft Crash Near Mount Rainier
The US Navy is actively searching for two crew members after their aircraft, an EA-18G Growler, crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington during a training mission on Tuesday. The aircraft, part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130 (VAQ-130), stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, went down to the east of Mount Rainier at approximately 3:23 p.m.
Multiple search and rescue resources, including a Navy MH-60S helicopter, were dispatched from NAS Whidbey Island to locate the crew and assess the crash area. As of 7 p.m. on October 15, the condition of the two crew members remains uncertain.
The EA-18G Growler is designed for electronic warfare and is part of the F/A-18 family. The squadron recently completed a deployment on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.