The Region : 2 Rescued After Navy Jet Crashes at Sea

The pilot and radar operator of a Navy F-14 from the aircraft carrier Enterprise were rescued from the Pacific, 20 hours after safely ejecting from their faltering jet, a Navy spokesman said in San Diego. The two were identified as Lt. Russell Sklenka of Norcross, Ga., the pilot, and Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Lorenzo of Sarasota, Fla., the radar intercept officer. Navy Lt. John Semcken said both fliers were in good condition and apparently unhurt. The two were several hundred miles from the aircraft carrier when their F-14 Tomcat developed problems. The precise location was withheld for security reasons. A search plane spotted the two in life rafts, and a helicopter picked them up. “They had everything in their favor,” Semcken said. “The water was warm. They knew something was wrong (with the plane) so they were able to go out in what we call a controlled ejection. They were able to prepare.” The cause of the crash of the $30-million aircraft was not known, he said.