LOS ANGELES _ A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed in Death Valley National Park near Father Crowley Vista Point on Wednesday morning, leaving seven visitors with minor injuries. The status of the pilot remains unknown.
The crash occurred at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific time near an area often referred to as Star Wars Canyon, not far from the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
"We're still trying to figure things out on our end," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock. "We have a search-and-rescue that has been dispatched out of China Lake and search-and-rescue out of Naval Station Lemoore with a medic on board."
While it is not common for military jets to fly low over national parks, it is a standard practice in Death Valley.
"It's one of the main attractions," said Death Valley National Park public information officer Patrick Taylor.
The Air Force and Navy have used the area for military training practices since the early 1930s.
Most of the aircraft that pass through come from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Edwards Air Force Base, Fresno Air National Guard Base and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. International jets are also known to make flybys.
It's unclear whether those who reported injuries were in the area to observe the jets. Taylor said the area also provides a parking lot and a restroom.
"There's a lot of people that stop there totally unassociated with the jets," he said.
