Two Navy aviators rescued after carrier mishap off Virginia

Two U.S. Navy aviators ejected during aircraft recovery operations aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off Virginia on Monday evening and were rescued, while four people aboard the carrier were injured, the Navy said. The aviators, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3, were promptly recovered by search-and-rescue personnel and returned to the ship, where they were being evaluated by medical staff, according to the Navy. The service said four shipboard personnel were injured and received medical attention. One was taken to a hospital in the Norfolk, Virginia, area with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The Navy characterized the event as a mishap during aircraft recovery operations. It did not identify the aircraft or say what caused the aviators to eject. The available account also does not describe what happened to the aircraft or whether it was damaged. The incident took place Monday evening while the carrier was off the Virginia coast. The Navy’s account placed it at about 6:18 p.m. EDT. That timing, like the information about the ejections, rescue and injuries, was attributed to the Navy; the reports did not provide independent confirmation.