Two Navy crewmen aboard an EA-18G Growler that crashed in Washington state last week have been confirmed dead, according to military officials.
The jet crashed east of Mount Rainier on October 15 during a routine training mission. The wreckage was found the next day on a steep mountainside.
The fighter jet was assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 130 (VAQ-130), known as the “Zappers,” based out of Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island north of Seattle.
The Navy identified the aviators as Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, a Naval Flight Officer from California, and Lieutenant Serena N. Wileman, 31, a Naval aviator from California.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of VAQ-130. “Our priority right now is taking care of the families of our fallen aviators and ensuring the well-being of our sailors and the Growler community. We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased.”
There was no information as to whether their remains have been recovered.
The crash site is located in steep terrain inaccessible by ground vehicles. The recovery efforts are battling low visibility to recover the wreckage.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
