(The Center Square) – Two Navy pilots are reportedly in good condition after being rescued by a fishing boat after their jet fighter crashed Wednesday in San Diego Bay.
The pilots were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center. Their condition is good, but they’re under 24-hour medical observation “out of an abundance of caution,” Naval Base Coronado reported Wednesday evening on Facebook.
The crash site was located. The plane, which is an EA-18G Growler, remained submerged, the naval base said Wednesday evening.
The pilots were trying to land at Naval Air Station North Island, according to the Navy.
Harbor Security boats secured the area and placed a containment boom to limit the spread of fuel and debris. Environmental and safety teams are working to mitigate the impact, Naval Base Coronado reported.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said that its crews responded to the crash scene around 10:15 a.m., according to various media reports. The Premier, a charter fishing boat, was first on the scene and quickly pulled the pilots, who were conscious, out of the water, according to media reports. The pilots were transferred to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat before being transported to the hospital.
Officials didn’t cite a cause for the crash, but said they are investigating.
