Navy: Four Injured in Aircraft Recovery Mishap Aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
NORFOLK, Va. — Four shipboard personnel were injured aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower on Sept. 28 when a mishap occurred during aircraft recovery operations off the Virginia coast, according to the U.S. Navy.
The incident took place about 6:18 p.m. ET as the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier was recovering aircraft, the Navy said in a statement. During the episode, two aviators assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3 ejected from their aircraft and were quickly recovered by search-and-rescue personnel.
Both aviators were returned safely to the ship and were being evaluated by medical personnel, the Navy said.
The four injured shipboard personnel were receiving medical treatment. One sailor was being transported to a hospital in the Norfolk area with injuries not considered life-threatening, according to the Navy.
The Navy did not identify the type of aircraft involved or say what led to the mishap. Officials did not immediately release additional information about the condition of the injured personnel or the status of the aircraft.
Aircraft recovery operations are a routine but high-risk part of carrier flight-deck life, involving tightly choreographed movement of aircraft, deck crews and safety teams. Even minor deviations can quickly become dangerous, though the Navy has not characterized what happened aboard the Eisenhower as anything beyond a mishap.
The Eisenhower, a Nimitz-class carrier homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, supports U.S. naval missions around the world. USNI News reported that the ship had begun early carrier qualification operations after completing its most recent repair period in July and departed Naval Station Norfolk on the afternoon of Sept. 28.
The incident will likely prompt a standard safety review and investigation, a process that can run parallel to the ship's training and operational schedule. Navy officials have not said whether flight operations were paused or how the event might affect upcoming carrier qualifications.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Navy says 4 injured in 'mishap' during aircraft recovery operations