Two U.S. Navy aviators were forced to eject during a landing aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier operating off the coast of Virginia, the Navy reported Monday. The incident also resulted in injuries to six sailors on the ship.

The aviators were piloting an E/A-18G Growler and ejected after a failure of the arresting gear system, which is designed to stop aircraft safely during carrier landings. Both pilots were promptly rescued and returned to the vessel. They are assigned to an electronic attack squadron known as the “Zappers” and are part of Carrier Air Wing 3.

Following the mishap, shipboard medical personnel evaluated the two aviators and six other sailors. One sailor was transported to a local hospital in the Norfolk, Virginia, area to address injuries described as non-life-threatening. Additionally, the aviators and two sailors who sustained injuries on the flight deck were taken to a naval medical center for more comprehensive evaluation and care.

This event marks the latest in a series of aviation accidents involving Navy aircraft over recent years. Notably, in May, two Navy jets collided during an air show in Idaho. In October, a fighter jet and a helicopter crashed into the South China Sea. According to Pentagon data released last year, there has been an increase in aviation incidents across the U.S. military throughout 2024.

Another recent fatal accident involved a Navy helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea in July, resulting in the death of the pilot while three sailors were rescued.

The Navy continues to investigate the cause of the arresting gear failure and the circumstances leading to the ejection during the carrier landing.