The Navy is now preparing to deploy personnel to the remote site.
WHIDBEY ISLAND STATION, Wash. — Aerial search crews have located the wreckage of a Navy aircraft crash near Mount Rainier.
According to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island officials, the flight took off from Oak Harbor Tuesday afternoon and the crash was reported at 3:23 p.m.
The crash site involving a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler, an electronic warfare aircraft, is on a mountainside east of Mount Rainier.
The condition of the two crew members onboard is still unknown.
NAS Whidbey Island has sent multiple search and rescue assets, including a helicopter, to try to locate the crew and examine the crash site. The Navy is now preparing to deploy personnel to the site, which is inaccessible by vehicle.
“I am thankful for the tremendous teamwork displayed by the NAS Whidbey Island squadrons — VAQ, VP, VQ, TOCRON 10 and SAR — as Team Whidbey continues to respond to our tragic mishap,” said Capt. David Ganci, commander of the Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a release. “I am also grateful to local law enforcement, responders, and tribal communities whose partnership has been essential in planning our critical next steps for access to the site.”
The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office also sent two ground crews to search for the Growler.
The terrain is mountainous. Wednesday’s cloudy weather also made for low visibility, according to the sheriff’s office.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
All EA-18G squadrons are stationed at Whidbey Island, with the exception of one squadron in Iwakuni, Japan.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.