Two Navy jets collide at Idaho air show, crews eject safely

Two US Navy EA-18G Growler jets collided mid-air during the Gunfighter Skies air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday. All four crew members ejected before the aircraft went down and were in stable condition afterward, base officials said.

Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson for US Pacific Fleet Naval Air Forces, confirmed the aviators survived the crash. The collision happened at about 12:10 p.m. local time, roughly two miles northwest of the base, according to NBC News. Emergency responders reached the scene and an investigation is under way. The base was placed on lockdown after the crash, NBC reported, as officials worked to secure the area.

“The aircrew involved in the incident are in stable condition,” the Gunfighters said in a statement carried by the BBC. A separate statement from the base, cited by NBC, said: “Emergency Responders are on the scene, an investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available.” Neither the Navy nor the base has said what caused the aircraft to collide. A witness told NBC they heard someone say “We are down” before four parachutes appeared and black smoke rose over the base. Video published by Al Jazeera appeared to capture the moment of impact.

No deaths had been reported and officials gave no indication of injuries beyond saying the four crew members reached the ground alive. The EA-18G Growler is the Navy’s electronic attack platform. BBC, citing US Navy figures, reported each jet costs about $67 million. Investigators are now examining the flight path, formation spacing and what caused the two aircraft to hit each other. Officials said more details would be released as they became available.