By Matt Tracy
WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) – Four crew members involved in a mid-air collision of military jets at an air show ejected safely on Sunday outside Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, the U.S. Navy said.
Two E/A-18G Growler jets collided in mid-air 2 miles from the base during the two-day Gunfighter Skies Air Show, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The two jets with four air crew collided “while performing an aerial demonstration” at around 12:10 p.m. MDT as part of the air show, Umayam added, noting that all four crew members ejected safely.
“The incident is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available,” Umayam said.
The air show’s official site lists the U.S. Navy’s E/A-18G “Vikings” Growler Demo Team as one of the scheduled performers. The jets involved in the collision were assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 from Whidbey Island, Washington, Umayam said.
A portion of State Highway 167, where the aircraft crashed, will remain closed for several days while the investigation continues, according to the 366th Fighter Wing, which is based at Mountain Home.
Sunday marked the first Gunfighter Skies Air Show in eight years. A hang glider pilot died in a crash during the last show in 2018.
The Mountain Home Fire Department, Mountain Home Police Department and Elmore County emergency management coordinator did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Reporting by Matt Tracy in Washington, D.C., and Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Chris Reese, Sergio Non and Mark Porter)
