2 US fighter jets collide, explode during Idaho air show, crew eject safely

Videos shared online showed the two aircraft colliding in the air before breaking apart. Moments later, four parachutes could be seen descending toward the ground.

In Short

• Both EA-18G Growler jets crashed two miles outside the base
• Emergency responders on site, base under lockdown, investigation ongoing
• All four crew members ejected safely with parachutes

Two US fighter jets collided mid-air during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base on Sunday, forcing the air base into lockdown. The crash happened during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show in Idaho, United States. According to local media, an aircraft incident occurred shortly after 12:30 pm (local time). Emergency crews rushed to the scene as thick black smoke rose near the crash site.

The aircraft involved in the accident were two EA-18G Growler fighter jets. The jets crashed around two miles outside the base.

ALL FOUR CREW MEMBERS EJECT SAFELY

Videos shared online showed the two aircraft colliding in the air before breaking apart. Moments later, four parachutes could be seen descending toward the ground. According to the Idaho Statesman, an announcer at the show told the crowd that all four crew members safely ejected from the aircraft.

Four crew members safely ejected after two military jets collided mid-air during an air show near Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday, the US Navy later said.

Mountain Home Air Force Base says emergency responders remain at the scene while investigators examine the crash. "Emergency responders are on the scene and investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available," a spokesperson told Reuters.

Authorities canceled all remaining events scheduled for Sunday after the crash. Mountain Home Police also confirmed the base had been placed under lockdown following the incident.

The Gunfighter Skies Air Show returned this weekend for the first time in eight years. Thousands attended the event to watch military aircraft displays and aerial demonstrations. Air show organisers had spent nearly two years preparing for the event. Safety teams and maintenance crews were stationed across the base throughout the weekend.

The crash has revived concerns over past incidents at Mountain Home air shows. In 2018, a hang glider pilot died after crashing onto the runway during an event at the base.

A Thunderbirds jet also crashed during a 2003 air show at Mountain Home. The pilot survived after ejecting seconds before impact.

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With inputs from agencies