Military Plane Crashes In Western Virginia, Local Sheriff's Office Reports
A local sheriff's office in western Virginia reported Wednesday morning that a military jet had allegedly crashed somewhere near Deerfield, about 135 miles northwest of Richmond.
Becky Coynter, a dispatcher with the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, informed authorities that a loud explosion and smoke had been seen in Deerfield at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time on Wednesday. No injuries are reported on the ground, but the status of those flying the military jet have yet to be confirmed.
Multiple residents of the sparsly-populated Deerfield area reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing smoke in the mountainous Elliot's Knob area of Deerfield, while at least one witness claims to have seen a low flying yet traversing the mountain region in the early hours of the morning.
According to local station WVEC-TV, the jet was an F-15C fighter jet from Massachusetts Air National Guard. A breathless first responder to the crash reportedly told emergency radio dispatch at around 10:04 a.m.: "I'm on location, with smoke, and we do have debris."
"I got debris everywhere […] I haven't located anybody," the dispatcher added.
According to WVEC-TV, F-15C fighter jets often allow the pilot to eject from the plane should something go awry, and Virginia State Police are reportedly sending out a helicopter to search for any survivors.
The local media outlet also reports that an air traffic controller in Washington, D.C. had lost contact with the fighter jet this morning before it crashed. Crews have also reportedly expressed concern about toxic fumes and radioactive debris that may be emitted from the plane at the crash site.
