### Wreckage of $67 Million US Navy Jet Found Near Mount Rainier

The remains of a US Navy EA-18G Growler fighter jet have been located following its crash near Mount Rainier, Washington. The jet's crash site, discovered at approximately 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, is in a remote mountainside area inaccessible by motorized vehicles, according to Navy officials. The incident occurred during a routine training flight at about 3:23 p.m. Tuesday, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Search operations are ongoing for the two missing crew members, who have yet to be found as of Thursday morning. Despite challenging rainy weather conditions, efforts include the deployment of a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter. It remains uncertain whether the crew managed to eject from the aircraft before the crash.

The Navy and local agencies are coordinating to send teams to secure the crash site, particularly as snow is forecasted for the Cascades through the weekend. Capt. David Ganci, commander of the Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by squadron teams from NAS Whidbey Island, as well as local law enforcement, responders, and tribal communities in planning the next steps for accessing the site.

The downed aircraft belonged to the Electronic Attack Squadron 130, known as "The Zappers." The squadron is primarily based at Whidbey Island, with another segment stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Recently, the Zappers had been deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

EA-18G Growlers are notable for their advanced technology in airborne electronic attack and play a crucial role as the Navy's first line of defense in hostile environments. Over the past 15 years, these $67 million jets have been instrumental in supporting major military operations across the globe.