A dramatic mid-air collision between two U.S. Navy electronic warfare aircraft unfolded over southern Idaho on Saturday during a public air demonstration, leaving aviation officials and spectators shaken but relieved after all crew members escaped to safety. Military spokespersons confirmed that the incident occurred at the Gunfighter Skies airshow, a popular annual aviation event hosted near Mountain Home Air Force Base, approximately 40 miles south of Idaho’s capital city of Boise. The two aircraft involved in the crash were identified as EA-18G Growler jets, specialized radar-jamming aircraft that are a core component of modern Navy carrier air wings. In the immediate aftermath of the collision, all four aviators assigned to the two jets successfully activated their ejection systems and parachuted out of the damaged aircraft before the craft crashed. As of the latest update from military command, no fatalities have been recorded from the incident. Officials have not yet released additional information regarding whether any of the ejected aviators suffered minor or major injuries, nor have they confirmed whether the falling wreckage caused any damage to nearby infrastructure or injuries to spectators and personnel on the ground. The Gunfighter Skies airshow, which draws aviation enthusiasts from across the Pacific Northwest each year, features both civilian aerobatic displays and demonstrations of U.S. military air capability. Organizers have not yet announced whether the remaining scheduled events for the show will be canceled following the collision. Military aviation accident investigators have launched a probe into the cause of the collision, with a preliminary report expected in the coming weeks.
