An air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, was abruptly canceled Sunday after two fighter jets collided in midair and crashed to the ground.
All four members of the aircrew ejected, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Naval Air Forces. The four were in stabilized condition, the base said.
The crash occurred about 2 miles northwest of the base during the second day of the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, the base said on social media.
The four aviators were performing an aerial demonstration when they collided at 12:10 p.m. local time. They were in two Navy EA-18G aircraft assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 from Whidbey Island, Washington, Umayam said.
Video circulating on social media showed the pair of fighter jets colliding midair before spinning toward the ground in a fiery crash amid black plumes of smoke. Four parachutes were visible deploying near the crash site.
Col. David R. Gunter, wing commander of the 366th Fighter Wing, which is known as the “Gunfighters” and is housed at the base, said in a statement that “we are incredibly thankful that everyone involved in today’s incident is safe.”
He thanked first responders for their work and guests for their “patience, trust and support.”
The base announced a lockdown at 12:30 p.m. local time. Later, as emergency personnel responded, guests were asked to remain on the base so the crews could work freely before they were eventually allowed to leave around 3 p.m.
Another video on Instagram showed spectators at an aircraft hangar surrounded by planes and black smoke from the crash rising in the background.
“I heard someone next to me say, ‘We are down.’ I turned around and saw four parachutes coming down, then black smoke appeared,” the witness who recorded the video told NBC News.
The witness spoke before people were allowed to leave the base, saying that many present were military families and that the atmosphere was “very calm, controlled and well-managed.”
Mountain Home police announced Sunday that the air show was canceled and warned the public to avoid traveling to the base.
The incident is under investigation.
