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| US Navy F-18 crashes in residential Virginia | US Navy F-18 crashes in residential Virginia |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A US Navy F-18 jet has crashed shortly after take off in a residential area near Virginia Beach, Virginia. | |
| A Navy spokesman told the BBC that the plane went down just before 12:08 (16:08 GMT) and two crew members ejected safely. | A Navy spokesman told the BBC that the plane went down just before 12:08 (16:08 GMT) and two crew members ejected safely. |
| The plane hit an apartment building, with photos showing black smoke rising from behind houses. | The plane hit an apartment building, with photos showing black smoke rising from behind houses. |
| There were no immediate reports of serious casualties and the cause of the crash is not yet known. | There were no immediate reports of serious casualties and the cause of the crash is not yet known. |
| Pentagon spokesman George Little href="https://twitter.com/#!/PentagonPresSec/status/188320203086639104" >used Twitter to say Defence Secretary Leon Panetta was being kept informed: "#SecDef is closely monitoring F-18 crash in Virginia Beach; concerned about potential loss of life and injuries." | |
| 'Burst into flames' | |
| The plane was based at the naval air station at Oceana, Virginia where it was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, the Navy said. | |
| The pilots have sustained non-life threatening injuries and have been taken to a hospital, the Virginia Beach Fire and Rescue said. The fire was under control, they added. | The pilots have sustained non-life threatening injuries and have been taken to a hospital, the Virginia Beach Fire and Rescue said. The fire was under control, they added. |
| One reporter at the scene tweeted that a Virginia Beach Hospital confirmed it was treating five civilians and both pilots for injuries. | |
| Local news station WTKR reports that a significant amount of damage has been done to an apartment building located near the centre of town. | Local news station WTKR reports that a significant amount of damage has been done to an apartment building located near the centre of town. |
| Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said: "We are taking all possible steps at the state level to provide immediate resources and assistance to those impacted by the crash. Our fervent prayer is that no-one was injured or killed in this accident." | |
| Witnesses have told local media that just before the crash they saw the plane empty its fuel tank. | |
| One witness, Jon Swain, told US news station MSNBC: "There were flames coming out of its engine at the back, which I just thought was afterburn or whatever... but the plane got lower and lower. | |
| "I saw one pilot eject. I understand there were two, but I only saw one. And then you know, probably five seconds later, I was at the building where it hit. It burst into flames." | |
| A nearby highway, Interstate 264, has been closed in both directions, local officials said. | A nearby highway, Interstate 264, has been closed in both directions, local officials said. |