Two U.S. Navy aviators successfully ejected from their aircraft Monday evening as it attempted to land on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia, an incident the Navy described as a “mishap.” Four sailors aboard the vessel were also injured during the event.
The aviators are assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3. According to a Navy statement, the pair ejected “promptly” and were rescued by search and rescue personnel. Both were returned to the ship, where they are currently undergoing medical evaluation.
Of the four injured sailors, one was transported to a hospital in the Norfolk, Virginia, area for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The remaining three are receiving medical care aboard the vessel.
The Navy did not specify the type of two-seater aircraft involved, nor did it disclose the cause of the accident or the condition of the plane. A request for further details was not immediately answered.
A Navy spokesperson noted that “carrier crews regularly train for emergencies and unexpected situations during flight operations,” adding that this training enabled the crew to respond quickly and safely.
The nuclear-powered, Nimitz-class USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was commissioned in 1977.
What aircraft was it? F/A-18E or maybe an EA-18G? The Navy is being awfully quiet about the specifics here.
Glad the pilots ejected safely. Four injured sailors though—that’s a rough start for the crew on the Eisenhower.