2 Navy crew members declared dead in Washington jet crash, efforts underway to recover bodies

The U.S. Navy declared two aviators dead following the crash of their EA-18G Growler jet during a training mission in northeast Washington on October 15. The jet, from Electronic Attack Squadron 130, crashed near Mount Rainier, shifting the Navy’s search efforts into a recovery operation after several days of intense search and rescue.

Commander Timothy Warburton of the squadron, known as the “Zappers,” expressed deep sorrow for the loss, emphasizing the Navy’s focus on supporting the aviators’ families and the larger Growler community. The crash site, located on a mountainside, posed significant challenges to rescue teams due to difficult terrain and poor weather conditions. The names of the aviators have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.

The jet had taken off from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on a routine training flight before it went down near Yakima. Several units, including an MH-60S helicopter crew, U.S. Navy Fleet Reconnaissance Squadron One, and the U.S. Army 4-6 Air Cavalry Squadron, were involved in the search and recovery efforts.