Two U.S. Navy jets collided during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday, sending both aircraft crashing to the ground in front of spectators.
All four crew members ejected safely before impact, officials said. Emergency crews responded immediately, and the remainder of the Gunfighter Skies Air Show was cancelled after the crash. The base is located about 50 miles southeast of Boise.
The aircraft were identified as EA-18G Growlers, a variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet equipped for electronic warfare. Reuters reported that the jets crashed about two miles from the base, while videos posted by spectators showed parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft fell and exploded on impact.
The cause of the collision was not immediately known. Military officials said an investigation is underway. Because all crew members survived, investigators are expected to rely partly on their accounts, along with flight data, maintenance records and air show control communications.
Local authorities urged the public to avoid the base area after the crash as emergency teams secured the scene. No spectator casualties were immediately reported.
The incident turned what was meant to be a public military aviation demonstration into a major safety investigation for the Navy and Air Force officials overseeing the event.
