Navy crew members eject from their jet before it crashes off the San Diego coast

LOS ANGELES (news agencies) — Two crew members ejected from a Navy jet before it crashed Wednesday off the San Diego coast and were quickly rescued by a sportfishing boat, authorities said.

The two occupants of the E/A-18G Growler were first picked up by the Premier Sportfishing vessel and then transferred to a nearby Customs and Border Protection craft, Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer Christopher Sappey said.

The crash occurred during what is known as a “go-around maneuver,” in which the aircraft landed and was taking off again, according to Navy spokesperson Cmdr. Beth Teach. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

On a live webcam of San Diego harbor traffic, someone aboard the Premier can be heard telling the Coast Guard that the crew members ejected right after takeoff.

“We’re on our way to help assist,” the man called in about 10:14 a.m. “They’re in the water.”

Shortly afterward someone from the boat reported: “We have both pilots on board and safe.”

Brandon Viets, captain of the Premier, said he had taken a dozen passengers out by Point Loma on a fishing trip when he heard a jet taking off from the naval base that “seemed a little louder than normal.”

He turned and saw two people falling with parachutes. Viets immediately headed toward them in his boat. The jet remained in the air for several minutes before diving into the water, he said.

“All I could see was a plume of water and mud and muck, 70 to 80 feet tall,” Viets said.

“Captain Brandon Viets and the crew of the Premier acted swiftly, and thanks to their professionalism, were able to bring these pilots to safety,” Frank Ursitti, general manager of boat owner H&M Landing, said in a statement.

The two men were taken to a hospital and were in stable condition, authorities said.

The Coast Guard deployed two vessels to safeguard the Growler wreckage in the San Diego Harbor, Sappey said.

The Growler is a two-seater jet that specializes in electronic warfare.

A similar Navy aircraft crashed last October during a routine training flight in Washington state, killing its two crew members. The wreckage was found in remote mountainous terrain.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the boat to Premier, not Premiere.

Copp reported from Washington, D.C.