On Sunday, the two aviators that were operating an EA-18G Growler that crashed east of Mount Rainier in Washington State last week have been declared dead by the US Navy.
Commander Timothy Warburton, the commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, known as “The Zappers” said in a statement, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers. 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. We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased.”
The identities of the pilots will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified, according to the Navy’s policy.
According to KOMO News, the Electronic Attack Wing Pacific has pivoted from search and rescue operations to recovery efforts. On Sunday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee approved the Navy’s request for assistance from the state’s National Guard in the recovery efforts.
Inslee said in a statement, “Trudi and I send our condolences to the families of these two U.S. Navy service members. These moments remind us of the risks military service members take on in service to our homeland. Every day, whether in training or in combat, their courage and honor are the same. We also want to express gratitude to the many teams who have assisted with search and rescue including the Yakama Nation, Yakima County, King County, and WSDOT Air Search & Rescue. NAS Whidbey also requested help from Washington National Guard which I approved.”
On Tuesday, during a “routine training flight,” the plane crashed into a mountainside east of Mount Rainier. On Wednesday, aerial search crews located the crash site in a “steep and heavily wooded area” at approximately 6,000 feet in elevation, in a remote area not accessible by vehicles.
The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office’s search and rescue team, local law enforcement, and military personnel, including soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Group based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, helped in the search for the plane and missing crew members.
The recovery efforts are being coordinated from an emergency operations center at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI). The EA-18G Growler is like the F/A-18F Super Hornet, which is a type of jet used by the United States Navy’s Blue Angels. All but one of the Navy’s Growler squadrons are based at NASWI.