Two US Navy aviators ejected from their aircraft while attempting to land aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the Virginia coast on Monday evening, and four sailors on the carrier sustained injuries in the incident.
The Navy described the incident as a “mishap” that occurred during aircraft recovery operations on the nuclear-powered carrier.
The two aviators, who are members of Carrier Air Wing 3, successfully ejected from the aircraft and were quickly rescued by search and rescue personnel, according to the Navy.
Both aviators were brought back aboard the ship and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Four other personnel aboard the aircraft carrier were also injured and received medical attention. One of them was taken to a hospital in the Norfolk, Virginia, area for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Navy did not disclose the type of two-seat aircraft involved in the incident. It also did not provide details about what happened to the aircraft or what may have caused the mishap.
The service did not immediately respond to requests for additional information about the incident.
“Carrier crews regularly train for emergencies and unexpected situations during flight operations, and that training enabled the crew to respond quickly and safely,” the Navy said.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that was commissioned in 1977.
