Four pilots recovered after Navy jets collide off North Carolina coast

OREGON INLET, N.C. - The U.S. Coast Guard responded about 25 miles off the North Carolina coast Thursday morning after receiving reports of a collision between two planes.

According to the Navy, the incident involved two F/A-18F Super Hornets that were flying approximately 24 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras.

The Navy confirms that the jets were from Strike Fighter Squadron 211 (VFA-211) based at Naval Air Station Oceana.

The incident was reported around 10:40 a.m. and an HH-60 Jayhawk Coast Guard helicopter dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City to assist.

There were two pilots in each jet and all four were recovered from the water.

The Coast Guard reports that the crew of the commercial fishing vessel Jamie recovered all four pilots.  The Coast Guard helicopter then hoisted the pilots and transported them to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

At 12:50 p.m., one Coast Guard helicopter arrived at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital carrying two of the four pilots. They were both able to move themselves to the waiting stretcher.