Navy Jet Crashes Into San Diego Bay, 2 Rescued

U.S. Navy boats work along the shore near Shelter Island after a U.S. Navy plane crashed into the San Diego Bay in San Diego on Feb. 12, 2025. Denis Poroy/AP Photo

A U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed into the ocean off Point Loma at the entrance of San Diego Bay while attempting to land at about 10:15 a.m. Jan. 12, according to the U.S. Navy.

The plane went down near the Shelter Island neighborhood. Navy officials are investigating the incident and said they will release more information when it becomes available.

The two military pilots aboard the EA-18G Growler ejected and were quickly rescued by a sportfishing boat before being sent to the hospital for a medical assessment, according to the Navy.

The two occupants were first picked up by the Premiere Sportfishing vessel and then transferred to a nearby Customs and Border Protection vessel, said Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer Christopher Sappey.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department also responded to the incident and said the pilots were sent to UCSD Medical Center in the Hillcrest neighborhood.

“Both are in stable condition,” a Navy spokesperson wrote in a statement sent to The Epoch Times on Wednesday.

The aircraft was assigned to the Electronic Attack Squadron, which is based at the Naval Air Station at Whidbey Island in Washington state. It was attempting to land at Naval Air Station North Island on the Coronado peninsula in San Diego.

Naval Base Coronado opened an Emergency Operations Center in response to the mishap, and an assessment of the crash site is ongoing, the Navy reported.

The Coast Guard has two vessels now safeguarding the Growler wreckage in the San Diego Harbor, Sappey said.

An E/A-18G Growler aircraft launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on Feb. 12, 2023. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joseph Calabrese/U.S. Navy via AP

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the F/A-18 aircraft family. The aircraft is equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare technology and can perform a wide range of enemy defense suppression actions.

Some of the technology on board includes communications jamming and electronically scanned array radar.

The aircraft is the first newly designed electronic warfare aircraft produced in more than 35 years, according to the Navy.

The U.S. Department of Defense is the Growler’s sole operator. The first Growler aircraft went into production in October 2004 and made its first flight in August 2006.

In the past 15 years, the Growler has spanned the globe in support of all major rapid reaction actions, according to the Navy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.