On Wednesday, officials confirmed that two Navy pilots are safe following the crash of a military fighter jet in San Diego Bay, California.
According to two Navy sources speaking to CBS News, both pilots successfully ejected from the aircraft, which went down around 10:17 a.m. local time. They were the sole occupants of the jet, identified by a Navy representative as an EA-18G Growler, a version of the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The crash occurred close to Naval Air Station North Island, part of Naval Base Coronado.
The Coast Guard informed CBS News that a fishing boat was able to rescue the crew just one minute after they hit the water. Subsequently, the pilots were transferred to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations vessel that was present at the scene during the incident, according to the Coast Guard.
Both pilots were reported to be in stable condition and were taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, as stated by the Coast Guard.
A spokesperson for the City of San Diego mentioned that officials were en route to the harbor with a dive team when the response was called off after learning that the pilots had been rescued. The San Diego Police Department is overseeing traffic control along the shoreline, the city added.
