A H&M Landing charter fishing boat saw the pilots eject and the plane crash, and pulled the service members out of the water. Company General Manager Frank Ursitti said the captain of the Premier boat saw the ordeal and turned the vessel to help. “As all of our crews are trained in lifesaving efforts, immediately came about, turned around picked up both pilots that were in the water,” 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.” From there, they were picked up by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vessel, according to the Coast Guard. The pilots were transported to University of California San Diego Hillcrest Medical Center. The two aircrew members were said to be in “good condition” and under 24-hour medical observation “out of an abundance of caution,” the U.S. Navy said in a Wednesday evening update.
Amilitary fighter jet crashed on Wednesday morning into the San Diego Harbor near Shelter Island, but both pilots on board the plane reportedly ejected before the crash, NBC San Diego reported. The crash occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time, and both pilots are in stable condition, according to the U.S. Navy. Both people, who were rescued by a charter fishing boat with H & M Landing, were transported to UC San Diego Medical Center, but the extent of their injuries are not known. The incident took place across the bay from Naval Air Station North Island, and the jet has been described as a naval EA-18 Growler. An EA-18 Growler was also involved in another crash during a training flight near Mount Rainier, Washington, last year, which killed both pilots, per the New York Post.
The Navy confirmed there were two pilots onboard the Boeing EA-18G Growler, and both were rescued. San Diego Fire Department officials confirmed the crash was reported near Shelter Island just after 10:16 a.m. local time. The Coast Guard San Diego Office confirmed to Fox News that the pilots were rescued by a fishing vessel. They were then transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations. The fishing company, H&M Landing, provided a statement to Fox News Digital claiming the aircraft experienced a "mechanical failure." "At approximately 10:15, the two pilots ejected from their aircraft after experiencing a mechanical failure," according to the statement. "Moments later, the aircraft crashed into the bay. The Premier, which was in the immediate vicinity, swiftly responded to the emergency."
