A Navy pilot who crashed into the Atlantic Ocean this afternoon has survived and is now recovering in hospital.

The F-18 fighter pilot’s aircraft went down off the coast of Virginia earlier today during a training run. After ejecting from his aircraft, the pilot was first collected by a passing “good Samaritan”, the Navy says. The fisherman traveling in his vessel nearby showed up within about ten minutes after a second pilot who was also involved in the mission pinpointed his position.

The unidentified pilot was then recovered by a Navy Hawk helicopter and subsequently taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where he is currently listed as being in critical condition.

Naval Spokesman ,Cmdr. Mike Kafka, indicated that the crash occurred around 2:35 p.m., roughly 50 miles off Virginia Beach. Although Kafka has reported that the pilot was both conscious and in critical condition, he did not offer any additional details regarding the crash or the status of the pilot.

This incident arises just a week after a separate and fatal Navy crash.

On January 8, a Navy MH-53E helicopter that was also on a training run crashed about 18 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. Five crew members were aboard the aircraft as it was performing a routine mine countermeasure training run. While two of those aboard survived the ocean wreck, the event tragically claimed three lives.

The memorial service for the three crew members of last week’s crash has been scheduled for Friday at Naval Station Norfolk.

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