Update: It was originally reported two planes collided. The below was corrected to state the incident was an in-air mishap and updated to reflect the two planes involved were Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets. The name and type of vessel manned by good Samaritans who rescued two survivors has also been corrected.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan yacht crew rescued four survivors Thursday following an in-air mishap involving two Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets 25 miles east of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.
Coast Guard 5th District Command Center watchstanders were notified at approximately 10:30 a.m. that two Navy jets suffered an in-air mishap and four people were in the water. The crew of the 48-foot yacht Pammy rescued two of the survivors, and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, hoisted the other two survivors from the water.
A 47-foot Motor Life Boat (MLB) crew from Station Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, took aboard the two survivors rescued by the Pammy crew. A second helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City then hoisted the two survivors from the MLB. All four survivors were taken to Norfolk Sentara General hospital.
The jets were from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA)211 at Naval Air Station Oceana.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
For more information, please contact Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs at 757-836-4398, 757-836-4375 or 757-288-9674.
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