In the Wednesday night crash of the Navy E2-D Advanced Hawkeye, the third crewmember was killed.
Lt. Cmdr. Rob Myers, a spokesperson for Naval Air Force Atlantic said that the aircraft was performing routine flight operations near Wallops Island in Virginia when it crashed.
According to a Naval Air Force Atlantic newsrelease, two crewmembers were rescued from the aircraft and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Officials said that divers and first responders assisted in recovering the body of the third crew member who was discovered dead inside the aircraft.
Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr. Commanding Officer of VAW-122. “We are deeply sorry for this tragic loss, and we are committed to finding the cause.”
Officials refused to release the names of the crewmembers who were injured, citing privacy concerns. The crew members who have died will not be named until their next of kin are notified, they said.
According to authorities, a plan of salvaging the aircraft is in development.
Officials said that the advanced tactical airborne early-warning aircraft was attached to the Airborne Command and Control Squadron 120 at Naval Station Norfolk. The crash investigation is ongoing. According to reports, the fuel tanks of the plane are intact and there is no concern for public health.
Ryan Whittington, a spokesperson for Maryland’s Ocean City Fire Department told AP late Wednesday, that his agency and other agencies responded to the crash in Chincoteague Bay. They helped remove the crewmembers.
The crash site is located approximately 150 miles (240 km) east of Washington, D.C.
