A day after a Navy jet crashed into San Diego Bay, the focus has turned to the challenging task of recovering the wreckage from the depths.
While Navy crews had hoped to salvage the EA-18G Growler on Thursday, the winter storm delayed those plans.
“Recovery efforts are focused on safely removing the aircraft from the water as quickly as possible while minimizing environmental impact,” Navy Cmdr. Beth Teach said in a statement Thursday.
“The operation is expected to take place as soon as conditions allow, pending final assessments and safety preparations,” she added.
The jet was executing a “go around” maneuver Wednesday morning, meaning it had just landed and was immediately taking off, when the two aviators onboard ejected due to an unknown problem, Teach said. The crew members parachuted into the bay near Shelter Island, where a fishing boat crew who had seen the incident pulled them to safety.
Witnesses said the jet continued flying over homes and circled back to the bay, where it crashed.
Authorities are using a large floating boom to contain the debris field and limit fuel contamination until the wreckage can be recovered.
Several Navy units were involved in the operation, including explosive ordnance disposal specialists, engineers, divers and salvage experts.
Navy officials did not disclose how the wreckage may be recovered.
Last winter, after a Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk crashed into the bay, the helicopter was lifted from 15 feet of water and stabilized on a barge. It was then offloaded onto a pier at Naval Base Coronado.
The operation took 10 hours.
The Navy advised the public not to handle or retrieve any debris that may be from the Growler wreckage, which could be hazardous, and to report any potential items to Naval Base Coronado at nbc_debris@us.navy.mil.
Kellogg Beach in the area remained closed Thursday due to fuel contamination from the crash and won’t reopen until sampling confirms the area safe for water contact, according to the county Department of Environmental Health and Quality.
The crew members, who were taken to a hospital, were listed in good condition. They were being held for 24-hour medical observation out of an abundance of caution, Navy officials said Wednesday night.
