Two US Navy service members on board a Boeing Jet which crashed during a training flight in Washington on Tuesday have been declared dead.
The Boeing EA-18G Growler went down east of Mount Rainier around 3:30pm local time on October 15.
‘It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,’ said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, per KOMO News.
‘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 Navy said the airmen will be identified in due course after their next have kin have been notified.
The EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare aircraft, and variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Boeing advertises its Growler as the world’s most advanced airborne electronic attack with twin engines that give it a maximum cruising speed of more than 1,000 knots, or 1,150 miles per hour, faster than the speed of sound.
The warfare jet was developed with tactical jamming capabilities to knock out enemy communications.
Its nine weapons stations can