U.S. Marine F/A-18 crashes during training flight in Washington state
A U.S. fighter jet crashed over the weekend in Yakima County, Washington, in a mountainous area that sparked a large fire. According to NBC, citing local authorities, the pilot activated the ejector seat at the last moment, escaped the aircraft, and was taken to a local hospital with only minor injuries.
Security forces evacuated hikers who were nearby as firefighters battled the flames at the crash site. The U.S. Marine Corps said the aircraft was an F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
In a formal statement, the Marines described the incident as an “aviation mishap with no loss of life” during a routine training flight about 88 kilometers southeast of Seattle. The Naches Fire Department said firefighting operations lasted several hours.
Crews used firefighting helicopters and ground personnel from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest team, in whose territory the crash occurred.
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