The U.S. Navy has officially declared the death of two crew members who went missing after their EA-18G Growler jet crashed in mountainous terrain east of Mount Rainier, Washington state, during a routine training flight. The announcement came on Sunday, following an extensive search and rescue operation that began when the aircraft from the Electronic Attack Squadron crashed on Tuesday afternoon.
Search efforts involved multiple agencies, including a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter launched from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Army Special Forces soldiers trained in mountaineering and high-angle rescue. The wreckage was located on Wednesday at an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote, steep, and heavily wooded area.
Commander Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of the aviators’ Electronic Attack Squadron, expressed deep sorrow, stating, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers.” He emphasized that the priority now is supporting the families of the fallen aviators.
The Navy has not yet released the names of the deceased, adhering to the policy of waiting 24 hours after next of kin notification. The search and rescue efforts have now transitioned into a long-term salvage and recovery operation, with an ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash.
The EA-18G Growler, a sophisticated electronic warfare aircraft similar to the F/A-18F Super Hornet, is primarily based at Whidbey Island, with one squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The “Zappers” squadron had recently been deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
