A US Navy aircraft crash landed and two pilots were forced to emergency eject over San Diego in another shocking aviation incident over US skies.
The EA-18G Growler, one of the most powerful aircraft in the US military arsenal, which crashed into the San Diego Bay near Shelter Island on Wednesday.
The cause of the downed jet is not yet clear, however early reports suggested it was flying in rough weather off the West Coast when it fell from the skies.
Emergency crews including 60 personnel, two boats, five fire engines and a helicopter team were rushed to the scene around 10:15am local time, San Diego Fire and Rescue said.
Several crews with the Navy were also seen working the crash site to prevent fuel from spilling into the waters from the downed aircraft as they work to retrieve it.
Military officials said two pilots were on board and successfully ejected before the plane crashed, and were saved by a chartered fishing boat with H&M Landing that was first on the scene.
Both pilots were raced to UC San Diego Medical Center in stable condition after being rescued from the waters.
Reports suggest the plane crashed into the bay in close proximity to the Kona Kai San Diego Resort and a number of businesses along the shoreline.
A US Navy EA-18G Growler aircraft (seen in a stock image) went down and two pilots were forced to emergency eject over San Diego on Wednesday
Images showed emergency services racing to the scene on the San Diego Bay near Shelter Island, where both pilots were successfully rescued from the waters and taken to hospital
The plane crashed into the bay in close proximity to the Kona Kai San Diego Resort and a number of businesses along the shoreline
The owner of the H&M Landing fishing boat that picked up the pilots said staff on the boat sprang into action when they saw the aviators eject from the military aircraft.
‘As all of our crews are trained in lifesaving efforts, immediately came about, turned around picked up both pilots that were in the water,’ general manager Frank Ursitti told NBC San Diego.
‘And as they were boarding the pilots on the water, [the captain] observed the plane actually ditch into San Diego Bay.’
Ursitti said the plane crashed into the bay within minutes of the pilots ejecting at the last moment.
He said both pilots were conscious when they were pulled from the water. They were reportedly in stable condition, however officials have not yet disclosed the extent of their injuries.
The EA-18G Growler (seen in an unrelated image from 2018) is one of the most powerful aircraft in the US military arsenal
It comes after a wave of aviation accidents rocked the US in recent weeks, including one of the worst air disasters in recent memory 14 days ago when an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a military helicopter over Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people.
Days later, a small air ambulance crash landed in Pennsylvania, killing six people aboard the jet and a seventh on the ground.
These disasters were followed by a small jet dropping off radars in Alaska last week, leading to the deaths of all 10 people on board.
And two days ago, a private jet owned by Motley Crue singer Vince Neil crashed when its landing gear failed while touching down at an airfield in Scottsdale, Arizona, killing the pilot and injuring three others.
