Washington March 15 (IANS) A US Navy fighter jet has crashed off the coast of Key West Florida killing its two crew members a media report said.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet was on approach to land at the naval air station around 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday when it crashed into the waters about a mile east of the runway.
The pilot and weapons system officer ejected and were recovered Naval Air Forces Atlantic spokesman Dave Hecht was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
However late on Wednesday the US Naval Air Forces reported that both had died. Their names were withheld pending notification of next of kin the New York Post said.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
The aircraft crew was based out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. The Super Hornet is a twin-engine fighter jet that is larger than the single-seat F/A-18 Hornet.
The jet was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 213. It experienced a glitch near the Naval Air Station Key West in the area of Chica Key Xinhua quoted authorities as saying.
--IANS
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