The Navy is planning salvage efforts for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye that crashed off the Virginia coast Wednesday — killing one crew member and injuring two others.
The aircraft, assigned to Airborne Command and Control Squadron 120 out of Norfolk, crashed near Wallops Island and Chincoteague, about 100 miles northeast of Norfolk, at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Maryland State Police rescued and transported two crew members to Wallops Island for medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. The sailors, whose identities the sea service will not disclose due to privacy concerns, are still receiving treatment from a local hospital, the Navy said Thursday.
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Another crew member was found deceased in the aircraft. The Navy is not releasing the name of the sailor pending next-of-kin notification.
“This is a tremendous loss for both our squadron and for the family and friends of our fallen service member,” Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr., commanding officer of VAW-120, said in a news release. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss and are committed to determining the cause of this incident.”
The incident is under investigation. Initial reports suggest that the aircraft’s fuel tanks are intact and do not pose public health concerns, the Navy said.
VAW-120 trains naval pilots, flight officers and aircrewmen to fly E-2 and C-2A Greyhound logistics support aircraft, preparing them to join the fleet.
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which can carry five crew members, provides command and control leadership to aircraft carrier strike groups. It has a trio of detection systems that are able to detect ships and aircraft in excess of 300 nautical miles, and takes part in missions ranging from strike and air-intercept-control to close-air-support for ground forces and search and rescue.