San Diego Bay plane crash: Horror moment US military ‘Growler’ fighter jet smashes into sea by naval base seconds after pilots managed to eject

The plane, a E/A-18G Growler Electronic Warfare aircraft, dived into San Diego Bay not far from the naval base it was coming into land at at around 10.15am local time on Wednesday (12 February). A shocking clip shows the jet dive into the water nose first at high speed.

Both pilots were luckily not injured and were quickly rescued by a fishing boat, the Coast Guard confirmed. The jet was reportedly coming into land at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego Bay, according to the Navy.

Navy spokesperson Commander Beth Teach said the crash occurred during what is known as a “go-around maneuver,” in which the aircraft landed and was taking off again. The captain of the fishing boat, Brandon Viets, said he had taken guests on a fishing trip when he heard a jet take off near the naval base, AP reported.

Viets said the plane “seemed a little louder than normal” and by the time he turned around to look, he could see two parachutes in the air. The two pilots were taken to hospital in a stable condition with the Navy now working to remove the plane from the water.

An investigation has been launched into the crash - which happened when San Diego Bay was rainy and misty. The plane has a price tag of $86 million, according to the Navy.