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Pilot, sailor injured when F/A-18C Hornet catches fire aboard USS Harry S. Truman

Posted at 9:16 AM, Aug 12, 2015
and last updated 2015-08-12 09:16:59-04

Norfolk, Va. - A pilot and a sailor were injured when an F/A-18C Hornet caught fire on the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman.

According to Naval Air Force Atlantic, the fire happened Tuesday night while the jet was parked forward of the island on the carrier during refueling.

The single-seat jet belongs to Strike Fighter Squadron 106, the "Gladiators," based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the ship's firefighting team.

The pilot of the jet ejected and landed on the flight deck and sustained non-life threatening injuries.

A sailor assigned to the USS Harry S. Truman was also injured during the incident.

Both were transported to New Hanover Medical Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina for treatment.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Commander Mike Kafka tells NewsChannel 3 crews are still assessing the extent of the damage, but believe it was primarily to the jet.

The carrier is taking an "operational pause" from flight operations Wednesday as a result of the fire, according to CDR Kafka.

The USS Harry S. Truman has been underway off the coast of Virginia conducting carrier flight operations.