Four aviators safely ejected after two fighter jets collided midair during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday, forcing the immediate cancellation of the event.
According to U.S. Navy officials, all four crew members involved in the crash survived and are currently being evaluated by medical personnel.
The incident occurred during the second day of the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, a public aviation event hosted at the Idaho military base.
Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Naval Air Forces, said the crash happened at approximately 12:10 p.m. local time while the aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration.
The two aircraft involved were Navy EA-18G Growler fighter jets assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 based at Whidbey Island, Washington.
Officials said the jets collided about two miles northwest of Mountain Home Air Force Base before crashing to the ground.
Videos shared on social media showed the two aircraft striking each other in midair before spiraling downward as thick black smoke rose from the crash site. Four parachutes could reportedly be seen deploying moments after the collision.
Witnesses attending the air show described scenes of shock as the aircraft fell from the sky.
“I turned around and saw four parachutes coming down, then black smoke appeared,” one witness told NBC News after recording video from the scene.
Authorities quickly placed the base on lockdown while emergency crews responded to the crash area.
Mountain Home Air Force Base later confirmed that emergency responders were on scene and that an investigation into the cause of the collision is underway.
The base, home to the U.S. Air Force’s 366th Fighter Wing known as the “Gunfighters,” also announced the cancellation of the remainder of the air show and urged the public to avoid traveling to the area.
Despite the dramatic nature of the crash, witnesses said the atmosphere on the ground remained calm and orderly as military personnel managed the situation.
The incident is expected to trigger a formal military aviation investigation into what caused the two aircraft to collide during the demonstration flight.