MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. — The U.S. Navy reported on Sunday that the bodies of two crew members missing after the crash of a fighter jet in rugged terrain in Washington have been recovered.

The EA-18G Growler aircraft, which is part of the Electronic Attack Squadron, went down on Tuesday afternoon, east of Mount Rainier, as confirmed by officials at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Immediately following the incident, a search operation was launched, utilizing a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter from NAS Whidbey Island to locate both the crew members and the crash site.

To assist in the recovery efforts, Army Special Forces trained in mountaineering and high-angle rescue were deployed to navigate the challenging landscape. The wreckage was discovered on Wednesday by aerial surveillance teams at an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote and densely forested area situated east of Mount Rainier. Weather conditions were expected to worsen due to snow anticipated from Friday through the weekend.

Capt. David Ganci, who leads the Electronic Attack Wing of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, stated that the primary focus was to find the missing crew members “as quickly and as safely as possible.” Ganci also indicated that identification of the crew could not be completed until 24 hours had passed after their families were informed.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are currently under investigation as officials work to gather more information.