Wreckage found near Washington's Mount Rainier in search for 2 missing U.S. Navy pilots

Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The wreckage of a Navy fighter jet that crashed during a routine training mission near Mount Rainier in Washington state has been found, but the two pilots on board remain missing.

The U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler crashed Tuesday afternoon east of Mount Rainier at about 3:23 p.m. PDT, the U.S. Navy told UPI in an emailed statement. The U.S. Navy said it is unknown if the pilots went down with the plane or ejected before it crashed.

The first reports that the wreckage of the Navy aircraft had been found were released shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Naval Air Station North Island.

The identities of the two missing pilots have not been released.

The aircraft was based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island north of Seattle and had been on a routine training flight Tuesday when it crashed, the U.S. Navy told UPI.

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a flight ban around an area believed to be where the jet went down.

There were concerns that weather could be a factor in the search. Between 5 to 9 inches of snow was possible amid patchy fog and heavy snow was forecast for Wednesday for Mount Rainier.

Multiple search-and-rescue assets, includes a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, launched from Whidbey Island to "locate the crew and examine the crash site," the Navy said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

All EA-18G squadrons are stationed at NAS Whidbey except for one squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

The Electronic Attack Squadron 130 jet was part of the Navy's oldest electronic warfare squadron. Known as the Zappers, the squadron recently completed a combat deployment on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as the only EA-18G Growler squadron with Carrier Wing 3.

The EA-18G Growler's sensors and weapons "provide the warfighter with a lethal and survivable weapon system to counter current and emerging threats," according to the squadron website.

All EA-18G Squadrons are stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, with the exception of one squadron attached to CVW-5, Forward Deployed Naval Force, based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.