Navy F/A-18 jet crashes in Key West

A Navy fighter jet reportedly crashed off the coast of Key West, Fla., on Wednesday.

The F/A-18 Hornet’s two crew members ejected and rescue operations are underway, The Associated Press reported.

The aircraft’s crew is based out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va.

{mosads}

One witness described to local news outlet FLKeysNews seeing a fire before the plane crashed.

“I saw the fire and then it just dropped,” the witness, Barbie Wilson, said.

President Trump praised F/A-18 fighter jets during a trip to Boeing in St. Louis on Wednesday.

Trump called the jets “a work of art,” according to a reporter for HuffPost. Boeing has manufactured the aircraft for more than two decades.

Trump at Boeing: “The F-18, one of my favorite planes. To me, it’s a work of art.” pic.twitter.com/vkBoAPmWQg

— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) March 14, 2018

Updated at 6:30 p.m.