The U.S. Navy recently concluded the salvage operation for the EA-18G Growler aircraft that plunged into San Diego Bay on February 12. Navy officials stressed their awareness of the incident's impact and thanked the community for its patience during recovery. The Navy's statement highlighted the pride in their longstanding ties to San Diego, underscoring local partners' essential role in the operation, FOX 5 San Diego reports.
While the recovery efforts faced setbacks due to inclement weather, the initial pieces of the jet were eventually salvaged by Navy divers on February 16, a Sunday, with assistance from floating cranes and barges, according to CBS 8. The public was requested to maintain a distance from the equipment and avoid handling washed-up debris. The Navy's plea for safety in the wake of an aircraft that had faced a mechanical emergency, it nosedived after an aborted landing at Naval Air Station North Island.
The two-person crew aboard the Growler, including a pilot and a naval flight officer, managed to eject safely before the crash and were promptly rescued by a fishing vessel, as detailed by Hoodline. Following their rescue, they were transferred to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat and taken to UC San Diego Health, where they were reported to be stable.
Multiple Navy sectors contributed to the salvage effort, including Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 and Amphibious Construction Battalion One, amongst others, highlighting not only the complexity of the mission but the cooperation among varied Navy commands, local authorities, and the backing of the U.S. Coast Guard. The ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash remains a priority, driven by the Commander Naval Air Forces to ascertain the root cause behind the incident that momentarily disrupted the tranquility of San Diego waters, while the emergency response underscored the readiness and coordination of military and civilian rescue units, as the skies cleared and the Navy's wings were, for a time, clipped by exigency and the unforgiving sea.
