Two U.S. Marines were rescued safely after their fighter jet crashed off Mexico’s Pacific coast on late Wednesday evening, officials said on Thursday.
US Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet. (Photo by US Marine Corps)
The two marines, who are based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, crashed their F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet on Wednesday night at around 10.15 p.m. local time and were reported missing. The fighter jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean approximately 85 miles (136 kilometers) southwest of San Diego.
The U.S. Coast Guard said its 13th “Island” Class Patrol Boat Cutter Edisto heard the Marines and deployed the Coast Guard MH-60 Jahawk helicopter to the survivors’ location. In addition, another patrol boat, Cutter Morgenthau, and a C-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Sacramento, which had already been deployed to the scene, were sent out as well.
Around four hours after the crash, the Marines were successfully rescued and airlifted to a local hospital. Both Marines, a pilot and a weapons systems officer, were reported to be in a stable condition.
It was not immediately known what caused the accident.
