Navy divers recovered the first pieces of an EA-18G Growler that crashed in the San Diego Bay last week, the sea service announced this week.
The release did not specify what parts of the aircraft the Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 3-8 recovered. The unit, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three, began salvage and recovery operations on Sunday, six days after the Growler crashed into the water.
The entire recovery operation could take up to two weeks, according to the Navy news release. Between the time of the crash and the beginning of operations on Sunday, the Navy brought in the necessary equipment and planned the recovery efforts. Weather also affected the timeline, according to previous Navy releases.
Amphibious Construction Battalion One is also on the scene and responsible for anchoring the barge and crane in use for the recovery. Navy Region Southwest, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest, Naval Sea Systems Command Supervisor of Salvage and Diving and Electronic Attack Wing Pacific are supporting the recovery efforts.
The crash, which saw the two crew members eject, is under investigation. The two crew members were initially rescued by a fishing boat, USNI News previously reported, before transferring to a Coast Guard vessel. They went to a local hospital for medical assessment.
This is the second Navy Growler crash in fewer than six months. In October, a Growler assigned to the “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 crashed in a remote area east of Mount Ranier. Both crew members died in the crash.
Fiscal Year 2025 is shaping up to be a poor one for aviation mishaps, with four mishaps reported so far in the first half of the fiscal year. That includes the two Growler crashes, the friendly fire incident in which USS Gettysburg (CG-64) shot down a F/A-18F Super Hornet and a December 2024 incident in which an MH-60S Knight Hawk experienced a hard landing with no injuries reported. In FY 2024, the Navy had seven class A aviation mishaps in total, according to the Navy Safety Command.
While unrelated, the recent Growler crash also comes amid a spate of U.S. aviation mishaps, including two deadly plane crashes. Since the year began, an Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II crashed at an Alaskan air base, with the pilot ejecting. Last month, an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines plane, killing everyone aboard both aircraft.
