Marine fighter jet crashes in Washington, sparking wildfire

A U.S. Marine Corps fighter jet crashed into a mountain in Washington state Saturday afternoon, injuring the pilot and igniting a wildfire that forced campers to evacuate, local officials said.

The F/A-18 Hornet went down around noon near Rimrock Lake in Yakima County while conducting routine training, according to statements from local authorities and the Marine Corps. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and sustained minor injuries, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office said. The pilot was transported to a hospital after being recovered by local officials.

A statement from Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing described the crash as a “non-fatal aviation mishap.” The aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.

The Marine Corps said the jet was “conducting routine training” when it went down. The statement provided to CBS affiliate KIRO-TV said the mishap occurred approximately 55 miles southeast of Seattle. NBC News reported that the crash area appears to fall within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and is roughly 125 miles southeast of Seattle.

A Yakima County Sheriff’s Department mountain pass deputy made contact with the pilot after the crash, the department said, according to NBC News. The Marine Corps said local sheriff’s officials recovered the Marine.

The wreckage sparked a fire in the area, drawing a response from the Naches Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Local officials said campers were evacuated as crews worked to suppress the blaze.

The Naches Fire Department said helicopters and at least one engine from the U.S. Forest Service’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest crew responded to the fire. The size of the blaze was not immediately clear.

“Our units have completed structure protection near the Bear Creek cabins and have just cleared the scene,” the fire department said, according to NBC News. The department said its water tender would remain at the scene and likely return Sunday “to support mop up operations of the fire.”

The crash site and surrounding terrain complicated the emergency response, with firefighters working to contain flames sparked by the wreckage while law enforcement and military officials addressed the aviation mishap.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said that process could take months.

“To preserve the integrity of the investigation, no additional details are available at this time,” the Marine unit said in its statement.