On Tuesday afternoon, two U.S. Navy pilots managed to safely eject from their aircraft before it crashed in eastern Mississippi, authorities confirmed.
The incident involved a T-45C Goshawk training jet, which went down around 12:30 p.m. local time on private farmland in Noxubee County, as reported by Naval Air Training Command.
The pilots successfully ejected from the jet and were subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for medical assessment. Both local emergency responders and U.S. military personnel were quick to arrive at the scene. The exact reasons behind the crash are currently being investigated, with no additional information disclosed at this time.
The stricken aircraft was stationed at Training Air Wing One, located in Meridian, Mississippi.
The T-45C Goshawk, as noted by the NATC, is a two-seater aircraft specifically crafted to train Navy and Marine Corps aviators. More details about the aircraft can be found on the NAVAIR website.
Produced by McDonnell Douglas, each T-45C Goshawk carries a price tag of approximately $17 million. This model has been in service since 1997, according to the NATC.
McDonnell Douglas was acquired by Boeing in the late 1990s.