Two Navy pilots involved in a crash in Washington state earlier this week have been declared dead, the U.S. Navy announced on Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” commanding officer of the aviators’ Electronic Attack Squadron 130, Timothy Warburton, said in a press release shared with Newsweek.
In its statement, the Navy announced that “Electronic Attack Wing Pacific has shifted from search and rescue efforts to recovery operations,” noting that “personnel on site continue to search the expansive area, recovering debris and planning for the long-term salvage and recovery effort.”
The names of the individuals will not be released until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified in accordance with Navy policy.
What Happened
The naval aviators, who flew a two-seater EA-18G Growler jet, were part of Electronic Attack Squadron 130 based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, nearly …