A pressing mission unfolded as two Navy pilots were successfully rescued from a military fighter jet crash that occurred in the San Diego Bay, California, as confirmed by officials on Wednesday. Sources revealed to CBS News that both pilots were able to eject from the aircraft just moments before it went down at approximately 10:17 a.m. local time. Notably, the pilots were the sole occupants of the aircraft, which was identified by a Navy official as an EA-18G Growler, a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The crash site was in close proximity to Naval Air Station North Island, the headquarters of Naval Base Coronado.
Swiftly responding to the distress call, a nearby fishing vessel managed to rescue the crew mere moments after their emergency landing in the bay, according to the Coast Guard as reported by CBS News. Subsequently, the pilots were safely transferred to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations boat that was already present at the scene of the incident. Both pilots were reported to be in stable condition and were promptly transported to an area hospital under the care of the Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, the City of San Diego had initiated preparations to dispatch a dive team to the harbor in response to the crash. However, upon receiving confirmation that the pilots had been successfully rescued, the deployment was called off. To ensure public safety, the San Diego Police Department has been managing traffic along the shoreline, as communicated by city officials.
In a separate development, President Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk held a joint press conference at the White House, addressing various topics of interest. Additionally, there has been a concerning trend noted in 22 states where flu-related deaths have surpassed COVID-19 fatalities for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Furthermore, reports have emerged indicating that nonviolent migrants are being directed to Guantanamo Bay, according to statements from officials.
