Lemoore fighter jet crashes in Death Valley, U.S. Navy reports

A Super Hornet single-seat fighter jet from Lemoore Naval Air Station has crashed in Death Valley, according to the U.S. Navy.

The jet went down around 10 a.m. during a routine training flight, according to tweets from the U.S. Navy. The crash site is also near the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in Ridgecrest.

Up to seven people on the ground were injured when the jet went down, according to Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor, but none of those injuries were life-threatening. It wasn’t immediately clear how those injuries occurred.

The crash happened on the western edge of the park, in an area known as Father Crowley Overlook above Star Wars Canyon, Taylor said. Military jets regularly fly over the canyon, Taylor said, and it is a popular spot for photographers to wait to capture photos.

The status of the pilot is unknown, and search and rescue teams from China Lake and Lemoore bases are on scene. Initially, National Park Service rangers responded to the incident, Taylor said, but the military has since taken over.

The cause of the crash in under investigation, the Navy said.

The Super Hornet was part of a squadron nicknamed the Vigilantes from Lemoore. It is part of Carrier Air Group 9 and attached to the USS John C. Stennis.

The Navy planned a news conference for 5 p.m. Wednesday at Lemoore Naval Air Station to provide updates on the incident.

This story was originally published July 31, 2019 at 1:04 PM.