Army special forces join search for missing Navy pilots after crash

Army special forces soldiers have joined the mission to locate and find two Navy aviators whose EA-18G Growler jet crashed Tuesday in a remote area east of Mount Rainier in Washington state.

The two-person fighter jet, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 130 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, crashed east of Mount Rainier at approximately 3:20 p.m. local time Tuesday while conducting training, the Navy said.

Wreckage was found Wednesday, but the Navy said Thursday night that it “rests at approximately 6,000 feet altitude in a remote, steep and heavily-wooded area east of Mount Rainier.”

Soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord are assisting in the search, the Navy said.

“The unit brings specialized mountaineering, high-angle rescue, medical, and technical communication skills necessary to navigate the difficult terrain associated with the Cascade Mountain Range that is inaccessible by other means,” the Navy said.

Two Navy EA-18G Growler crew members missing after crash

Any confirmation of whether either of the aviators survived the crash cannot be done without a debris area site assessment, according to the Navy.

“Our priority is to locate our two aviators as quickly and as safely as possible,” Capt. David Ganci, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Wing, said in a statement. “Adhering to [Pentagon] procedure, we cannot identify or confirm the names of aircrew involved in a mishap until 24-hours after their next of kin have been notified of their status. Please remain patient and limit speculation about the incident. That is one of the best ways we can respect the privacy of the loved ones who are impacted by this tragic event.”