2 Marines Bail Out as Recon Jet Crashes
Two crew members ejected safely from their Marine Corps photo reconnaissance jet Wednesday before it crashed at sea off San Diego during a training mission.
The crash, which took place at about 3:20 p.m., is under investigation, Master Sgt. Steven Merrill said. The jet had taken off from its El Toro base earlier in the afternoon.
One crew member was identified as Capt. T. P. Hewitt, a reconnaissance systems operator. The pilot’s name was withheld pending notification of kin, Merrill said.
The two men were picked up minutes after the crash by the Peoria, a Navy vessel that had been operating in the area, Merrill said.
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