Latest news with #BoeingEA-18GGrowler
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six deadliest non-combat military aviation accidents in the last 5 years
A U.S. Navy electronic-warfare aircraft crashed into San Diego Bay in California this week, injuring two service members. The Navy said both pilots onboard the Boeing EA-18G Growler were rescued. However, other service members involved in non-combat military aviation accidents have not been as fortunate. Here are six of the deadliest non-combat military aviation accidents that have happened in the last five years: Five Marines died when their helicopter crashed during a storm in the mountains outside of San Diego. The CH-53E Super Stallion departed Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and was heading to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego. It lost contact late in the evening as rain and snow were impacting the region. Fathers, Uncle Of Marines Killed In California Helicopter Crash Speak Out: 'Should Not Have Happened' Read On The Fox News App Bradford Moulton, whose nephew was Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, who was one of the victims, later said he wished the men would have been kept "on the ground" during the "thousand-year storm." Eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members died when the CV-22B Osprey aircraft they were traveling in crashed during a training mission near Japan. The aircraft was heading to Okinawa at the time of the incident, which later led to the temporary grounding of the entire fleet of Ospreys. An Air Force investigation later found that the crash was caused by cracks in a metal gear and the pilot's decision to keep flying instead of heeding several warnings to land, according to the Associated Press. Five U.S. Army Special Operations aviation soldiers died when their helicopter crashed into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. "The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting routine flight training which included aerial refueling and aerial gunnery during nighttime conditions over water. The helicopter contacted the water resulting in the loss of the crew and the helicopter," the Department of Defense said at the time. "Our service members put their lives on the line for our country every day," former President Biden added. "They willingly take risks to keep the American people safe and secure. And their daily bravery and selflessness is an enduring testament to what is best in our nation." Two Army helicopters collided over southwestern Kentucky, killing nine service members. The two HH60 Black Hawks of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) were conducting a training exercise at approximately 10 p.m. when they crashed in Trigg County, the director of Fort Campbell Public Affairs told Fox News Digital at the time. Army Identifies Nine Soldiers Killed In Crash Involving Black Hawk Helicopters "For Fort Campbell, for the 101st. The nine individuals we lost are children to God, they will be mourned and missed by their families, by their communities," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said. Five Marines died during a training mission in Southern California when their MV-22B Osprey crashed into the desert. The aircraft, which went down in Imperial County, belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Camp Pendleton. An investigative report following the crash found that it was caused by a mechanical failure related to a clutch onboard the Osprey, which ultimately led to an engine failure. Five crewmembers died when a U.S. Navy helicopter plunged into the ocean about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego while "conducting routine flight operations." It happened after the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter touched down during a landing on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. A mechanical issue caused the helicopter to start shaking intensely, sending it into a spin that ripped its rotor blades off before plummeting tail-first into the water, according to the Navy Times. Fox News' Alexandra Koch and Brie Stimson contributed to this report. Original article source: Six deadliest non-combat military aviation accidents in the last 5 years
Fox News
14-02-2025
- General
- Fox News
Six deadliest non-combat military aviation accidents in the last 5 years
A U.S. Navy electronic-warfare aircraft crashed into San Diego Bay in California this week, injuring two service members. The Navy said both pilots onboard the Boeing EA-18G Growler were rescued. However, other service members involved in non-combat military aviation accidents have not been as fortunate. Here are six of the deadliest non-combat military aviation accidents that have happened in the last five years: Five Marines died when their helicopter crashed during a storm in the mountains outside of San Diego. The CH-53E Super Stallion departed Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and was heading to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego. It lost contact late in the evening as rain and snow were impacting the region. Bradford Moulton, whose nephew was Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, who was one of the victims, later said he wished the men would have been kept "on the ground" during the "thousand-year storm." Eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members died when the CV-22B Osprey aircraft they were traveling in crashed during a training mission near Japan. The aircraft was heading to Okinawa at the time of the incident, which later led to the temporary grounding of the entire fleet of Ospreys. An Air Force investigation later found that the crash was caused by cracks in a metal gear and the pilot's decision to keep flying instead of heeding several warnings to land, according to the Associated Press. Five U.S. Army Special Operations aviation soldiers died when their helicopter crashed into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. "The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting routine flight training which included aerial refueling and aerial gunnery during nighttime conditions over water. The helicopter contacted the water resulting in the loss of the crew and the helicopter," the Department of Defense said at the time. "Our service members put their lives on the line for our country every day," former President Biden added. "They willingly take risks to keep the American people safe and secure. And their daily bravery and selflessness is an enduring testament to what is best in our nation." Two Army helicopters collided over southwestern Kentucky, killing nine service members. The two HH60 Black Hawks of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) were conducting a training exercise at approximately 10 p.m. when they crashed in Trigg County, the director of Fort Campbell Public Affairs told Fox News Digital at the time. "For Fort Campbell, for the 101st. The nine individuals we lost are children to God, they will be mourned and missed by their families, by their communities," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said. Five Marines died during a training mission in Southern California when their MV-22B Osprey crashed into the desert. The aircraft, which went down in Imperial County, belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Camp Pendleton. An investigative report following the crash found that it was caused by a mechanical failure related to a clutch onboard the Osprey, which ultimately led to an engine failure. Five crewmembers died when a U.S. Navy helicopter plunged into the ocean about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego while "conducting routine flight operations." It happened after the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter touched down during a landing on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. A mechanical issue caused the helicopter to start shaking intensely, sending it into a spin that ripped its rotor blades off before plummeting tail-first into the water, according to the Navy Times.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fishing boat captain who rescued Navy pilots after jet crash describes surreal moment: 'What we see in movies'
A fishing charter boat captain who rescued two parachuting Navy pilots after witnessing their unmanned fighter jet plummet into San Diego Bay described what he saw as something from a movie. The U.S. Navy electronic-warfare aircraft, a Boeing EA-18G Growler, crashed into San Diego Bay near Naval Air Station North Island just after 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. Capt. Brandon Viets of Premier Sportfishing had 12 people on board his boat for recreational fishing nearby on what he called a "normal day," when everything suddenly went south. Ntsb: Black Hawk Was Flying Too High When It Collided With Passenger Plane Over Washington Dc, Killing 67 "Normally we hear jets taking off, because North Island is right there next to us, less than a half mile away," Viets told Fox News Digital. However, on Wednesday's trip, he said, a nearby jet was louder than usual, capturing his attention. Read On The Fox News App "We were cruising out, and when I looked back, I saw a jet at almost eye level, about a few hundred yards off the back of the boat," he said. "I looked to the right of that jet, and I saw two parachutes with two guys falling down." Viets described the surreal feeling of watching the fighter jet flying, not knowing if anyone was onboard piloting it. "At that point, I'm like, 'Holy moly,'" he said. "Like, this is what we see in movies." Without hesitation, Viets took to the PA system to notify the crew. "I was telling them, 'Hey, we're going. We've got to go help,'" he said. "'We don't know if they are injured or not or if there are people in the water, and we need to get them out of there.'" Philadelphia Plane Tragedy: Medical Ambulance Transporting Pediatric Patient Crashes, Explodes Near Homes The crew turned the boat around and sped toward the pilots. Viets said the boat was going as fast as the engine allowed, and they were soon next to the two soaked service members. The plane was still in the air. "As soon as I pulled up to them, I was yelling to them, just to make sure they were OK," he said. "Then I heard this loud noise, boom, and [the jet] hit the water less than an eighth of a mile away from us." The military aircraft crashed on the other side of the channel, Viets said. He described a "plume" of sand, muck and water, at least 80 feet high, shooting up from the bay. Viets' crew retrieved all the boat's safety gear, including safety ladders, and positioned the boat near the pilots in the water. Both pilots were pulled from the water and were coherent, according to Viets. "I didn't ask anything about what happened or the plane. I was just worried about them," he said. "I asked about how they were, and their composure was pretty good for what just happened. They were pretty calm and collected about it, but you could still see a lot of [things] going on in their brains." Crew members instructed the pilots to sit down and later were met by the Coast Guard. A Navy vessel then picked the pilots up and took them to a nearby dock, Viets said. The fishing boat joined and stayed with the authorities for about 45 minutes. Alaska Crews Recover Remains Of All 10 Plane Crash Victims, Authorities Say The Coast Guard San Diego Office confirmed the service members were then transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations. "Then the Coast Guard said, 'OK, you guys are good to go,'" Viets said. "We went fishing after that and caught a few fish for a couple of hours." Both pilots were taken to a hospital and were reportedly in stable condition, according to the Coast Guard. Viets said the crew assisted a few small private boats in the past that sank, but Wednesday's incident was unique. "We have assisted smaller vessels, helping someone get off their boat or if they need a pump or something small like that, but nothing involving an aircraft that crashed — or pilots with parachutes in the water," he said. "Nothing like that." Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines Planes Collide On The Ground In Seattle He added it took a while for the gravity of the day's events to sink in. "It took me a little while to take it in and just to think, 'I'm glad that plane landed somewhere where it didn't hurt anyone,'" Viets said. "I'm still thinking, 'Luckily, it landed somewhere safe, not on land, and those two pilots seem to be OK.'" The cause of the crash has not yet been released by Naval Base Coronado's Emergency Operations Center, which is investigating. However, H&M Landing, a fishing company, provided a statement to Fox News Digital claiming the aircraft experienced a "mechanical failure." A Navy official told Fox News Digital it is unclear if a distress signal was sent out prior to the crash, and the pilots have not been publicly identified. As of Thursday, the Navy is continuing efforts to safely remove the aircraft from the bay as quickly as possible, while minimizing environmental impact, according to a statement. Weather conditions may delay the timeline. In a statement Thursday, the Naval Air Forces said it is leading efforts to assess and coordinate the jet's retrieval, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One is the tactical commander for salvage operations. "Some pieces of debris may resemble weapons or classified components and may present a hazard if handled," it said in the statement. The public is strongly advised not to approach, touch or collect any debris that may wash ashore. They are also asked to remain clear of the area and not interfere with the recovery. The wreck came after a recent string of fatal plane crashes across the country. Click To Get The Fox News App An Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Jan. 29, killing 67 people. In the following days, plane crashes in Pennsylvania and Alaska claimed the lives of 17 people. Most recently, a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil was involved in a fatal crash Monday at Scottsdale Airport in article source: Fishing boat captain who rescued Navy pilots after jet crash describes surreal moment: 'What we see in movies'
Fox News
13-02-2025
- General
- Fox News
Fishing boat captain who rescued Navy pilots after jet crash describes surreal moment: 'What we see in movies'
A fishing charter boat captain who rescued two parachuting Navy pilots after witnessing their unmanned fighter jet plummet into San Diego Bay described what he saw as something from a movie. The U.S. Navy electronic-warfare aircraft, a Boeing EA-18G Growler, crashed into San Diego Bay near Naval Air Station North Island just after 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. Capt. Brandon Viets of Premier Sportfishing had 12 people on board his boat for recreational fishing nearby on what he called a "normal day," when everything suddenly went south. "Normally we hear jets taking off, because North Island is right there next to us, less than a half mile away," Viets told Fox News Digital. However, on Wednesday's trip, he said, a nearby jet was louder than usual, capturing his attention. "We were cruising out, and when I looked back, I saw a jet at almost eye level, about a few hundred yards off the back of the boat," he said. "I looked to the right of that jet, and I saw two parachutes with two guys falling down." Viets described the surreal feeling of watching the fighter jet flying, not knowing if anyone was onboard piloting it. "At that point, I'm like, 'Holy moly,'" he said. "Like, this is what we see in movies." Without hesitation, Viets took to the PA system to notify the crew. "I was telling them, 'Hey, we're going. We've got to go help,'" he said. "'We don't know if they are injured or not or if there are people in the water, and we need to get them out of there.'" The crew turned the boat around and sped toward the pilots. Viets said the boat was going as fast as the engine allowed, and they were soon next to the two soaked service members. The plane was still in the air. "As soon as I pulled up to them, I was yelling to them, just to make sure they were OK," he said. "Then I heard this loud noise, boom, and [the jet] hit the water less than an eighth of a mile away from us." The military aircraft crashed on the other side of the channel, Viets said. He described a "plume" of sand, muck and water, at least 80 feet high, shooting up from the bay. Viets' crew retrieved all the boat's safety gear, including safety ladders, and positioned the boat near the pilots in the water. Both pilots were pulled from the water and were coherent, according to Viets. "I didn't ask anything about what happened or the plane. I was just worried about them," he said. "I asked about how they were, and their composure was pretty good for what just happened. They were pretty calm and collected about it, but you could still see a lot of [things] going on in their brains." Crew members instructed the pilots to sit down and later were met by the Coast Guard. A Navy vessel then picked the pilots up and took them to a nearby dock, Viets said. The fishing boat joined and stayed with the authorities for about 45 minutes. The Coast Guard San Diego Office confirmed the service members were then transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations. "Then the Coast Guard said, 'OK, you guys are good to go,'" Viets said. "We went fishing after that and caught a few fish for a couple of hours." Both pilots were taken to a hospital and were reportedly in stable condition, according to the Coast Guard. Viets said the crew assisted a few small private boats in the past that sank, but Wednesday's incident was unique. "We have assisted smaller vessels, helping someone get off their boat or if they need a pump or something small like that, but nothing involving an aircraft that crashed — or pilots with parachutes in the water," he said. "Nothing like that." He added it took a while for the gravity of the day's events to sink in. "It took me a little while to take it in and just to think, 'I'm glad that plane landed somewhere where it didn't hurt anyone,'" Viets said. "I'm still thinking, 'Luckily, it landed somewhere safe, not on land, and those two pilots seem to be OK.'" The cause of the crash has not yet been released by Naval Base Coronado's Emergency Operations Center, which is investigating. However, H&M Landing, a fishing company, provided a statement to Fox News Digital claiming the aircraft experienced a "mechanical failure." A Navy official told Fox News Digital it is unclear if a distress signal was sent out prior to the crash, and the pilots have not been publicly identified. As of Thursday, the Navy is continuing efforts to safely remove the aircraft from the bay as quickly as possible, while minimizing environmental impact, according to a statement. Weather conditions may delay the timeline. In a statement Thursday, the Naval Air Forces said it is leading efforts to assess and coordinate the jet's retrieval, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One is the tactical commander for salvage operations. "Some pieces of debris may resemble weapons or classified components and may present a hazard if handled," it said in the statement. The public is strongly advised not to approach, touch or collect any debris that may wash ashore. They are also asked to remain clear of the area and not interfere with the recovery. The wreck came after a recent string of fatal plane crashes across the country. An Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Jan. 29, killing 67 people. In the following days, plane crashes in Pennsylvania and Alaska claimed the lives of 17 people. Most recently, a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil was involved in a fatal crash Monday at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona.
Los Angeles Times
13-02-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Where to find (and protect) quiet places in nature around SoCal
I've spent the past week in one of the least quiet places on Earth: a windowless room in a hospital's intensive care unit. Among many noises, I've been listening to droning machines, incessant beeping when an IV bag runs dry and a 'ding' from a monitor when my dad's heart beats out of rhythm. Loyal Wilders may have noticed they didn't get an email at 11 a.m. last Thursday. That's because last week my dad suffered the type of heart attack that one in three people die from and had open-heart surgery. Hence my new perch in a hospital. Coincidentally, last week's newsletter was supposed to be about the quietest places in nature around Southern California. After one of the most stressful weeks of my life, I am longing for that kind of peace. And given the stress we've recently faced with deadly wildfires and political upheaval, I'm guessing you'd like some quiet, too. But, that can be hard to find in L.A. I really love this city, but 'quiet' is not one of the first words I'd use to describe it. We have tremendous noise pollution from our highways, freeways, ports and airports (and entirely too much honking). That's one reason I slip away to nature as often as possible. But even our natural areas are under threat of noise pollution. I recently spoke with acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, who co-founded Quiet Parks International in 2018, after his favorite quiet place grew really, really loud. Hempton was part of an effort to protect an area of Hoh Rain Forest at Olympic National Park that was believed to possibly be the quietest place in the United States. He advocated for the area to become the world's first quiet park, but the idea never garnered enough political will from federal agencies to make it so. A few years later, the U.S. Navy operating out of Whidbey Island designated the Olympic peninsula, including where Hoh Rain Forest is, as an 'electronic warfare exercise range.' This meant aircraft, including the aptly named Boeing EA-18G Growler, would start regularly flying over the area. Hempton felt he'd failed. So, he paid what he calls 'the quiet' a visit in the area he'd dubbed 'one square inch of silence' in Hoh Rain Forest in 2018 and asked it for help. 'The quiet laughed at me,' Hempton said. It was there he realized he'd been focused too narrowly on one place and needed to broaden the scope of his mission. Within a year, Quiet Parks International had formed and designated its first quiet park in the northeast corner of Ecuador. (You can now take trips there, which provides money to the Cofan nation to continue to protect their Indigenous homeland). The organization has five types of awards: wilderness quiet park, urban quiet park, quiet trails, quiet conservation area and quiet marine park. It has also created a process that anyone can follow to nominate a place they'd like to be considered. You might be wondering: How do Hempton and his colleagues measure 'quiet'? For one, they're not looking for absolute silence. Nature can be loud. Think of how rowdy our feral parrots or migrating geese can be. Rather, the Quiet Parks audio team is looking for places without human-caused noise pollution. Specifically, when assessing a place that's been nominated to be a quiet wilderness park, they are discerning whether it has a 'noise-free interval,' one single occurrence of a 15-minute period of which no human-caused noise pollution occurs. They also look during a specific time, from two hours before sunrise until one hour after sunrise. 'That is the magic window, that three-hour period, that in most places in the world sound propagates the farthest,' Hempton said. 'That's your most likely time that you will hear noise pollution.' When assessing an urban quiet park, where it wouldn't be reasonable to expect to find 15 minutes without noise pollution, the group instead tries to determine whether nature 'clearly dominates,' Hempton said. 'What does that mean? It means if you rub your fingers on a leaf in front of you, you will hear its sound, and if you pick a different leaf from a different plant with a different texture, you will hear a different sound,' he said. 'When a song bird sings, and if you are listening close enough, you will be able to hear its voice.' Nature lovers have already started nominating places in California for various 'quiet' distinctions. Last August, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was designated as a quiet conservation area, becoming the only place in California to have received an award from Quiet Parks International. Sadly, Anza-Borrego was already too polluted with human-made noise to earn the more prestigious 'wilderness quiet park' distinction, but leaders of the Anza-Borrego Foundation say they will continue to work to preserve this desert beauty's tranquil soundscape. (I'm rooting for you guys!) There are 13 more natural places in Southern California that have been nominated to be designated by the group with a quiet award. Those are: The weekend before my dad had a heart attack, I visited Mt. San Jacinto Park, which has been nominated to be an urban quiet park. There was snow on the ground, and I took time to smell the butterscotch scent emanating from the Jeffrey pines. Yellow-rumped warblers and Phainopeplas flitted about the trees. Outside of the squeals made by someone getting thwacked by a snowball, it was peaceful. I thought back to that serenity as I sat in the ICU waiting room watching for my dad's surgeon to emerge. About the peace I felt while lying on a massive boulder, my fleece jacket under my head, eating a huge sandwich as I looked down on the beautiful view. Even though I wasn't with the quiet in the hospital waiting room, the quiet stayed with me. 1. Spend a day with birds in ClaremontThe California Botanic Garden and Pomona Valley Audubon Society will co-host the Family Bird Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the gardens in Claremont. Activities include an immersive migration game, storytelling and crafts. Attendees can also participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count via stations set up around the gardens. The festival is free with paid admission to the gardens. Buy tickets at 2. Pull weeds at the Ballona WetlandsBallona Wetlands Land Trust will host a nature walk and cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The group will first take a nature walk through the area and then work together to pull weeds. Attendees should park on site at Area A, in Marina del Rey across from Whiskey Red's. Participants will be provided with gloves and tools. Learn more at the organization's Instagram page. 3. Hike in a nature preserve in Van NuysJunior urban ecologist Ryan Kinzel will host a free hike from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday through the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve (6350 Woodley Ave.). The reserve is home to numerous native plants, animals and migratory birds, including the American white pelican, the largest boreal flying bird in the U.S. Participants should bring water and wear comfy shoes. Register at Residents and environmentalists are sounding the alarm on potential development within Joshua Tree National Park. Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth and Lila Seidman report that individuals and businesses connected to Connecticut-based real estate investment firm called Darkhorse Tactical Investments have purchased more than 100 acres of land within Joshua Tree National Park boundaries since 2021. A prefabricated building — think boxy modern mobile home — was recently placed on the land, and environmentalists are worried about what else developers might build. One managing partner with Darkhorse told The Times that the recent construction activity 'is definitely not a development.' Those who love Joshua Tree hope that's the case. Happy adventuring, Applications are open until 9 a.m. Feb. 21 for Community Nature Connection's Emerging Naturalists 1.0 program. The free program educates high school students in grades nine through 12 about how a naturalist observes and journals their findings, along with how to get involved in local environmental action and find careers focused on the outdoors. Students will be expected to attend in-person classes at Vista Hermosa Park near downtown L.A. Learn more at the organization's Instagram page and apply here. For more insider tips on Southern California's beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
