The elements of Strike Fighter Squadron 213 training in Key West halted flight operations Thursday while the rest of Carrier Air Wing Eight was briefed on the incident and resumed their training at the South Florida base, according to a Naval Air Forces, Atlantic press release this afternoon.

“Today, the squadron took the day off from training in order to grieve,” said Cmdr. Dave Hecht, spokesman for Naval Air Forces, Atlantic.

“The remaining squadrons in Carrier Air Wing EIGHT were briefed on the mishap and then resumed normal training operations.”

“The primary next of kin of the two aviators killed in the mishap have been notified and per DoD instruction, names of the deceased will be released 24-hours after notification,” Hecht said.

Public release of the aviator’s names is expected to happen at 10pm Thursday, he said.

The release also updated the Navy’s immediate plans for the wreckage and investigation of the mishap.

“The crash which occurred on Wednesday, March 14 just east of Naval Air Station Key West is currently under investigation,” said Cmdr. Dave Hecht spokesman for Naval Air Forces, Atlantic in the release.

“The F/A-18F remains in the water where it crashed and will stay there until a Mishap Investigation Board conducts its investigation.”

Hecht said this board is made up if highly qualified officers experienced in all aspects of naval aviation. These experts will examine the aircraft and also comb through the aircraft’s maintenance records as well as records on the physical condition of the aircrew and what they were doing prior to the accident.

In addition to investigating the cause of the crash, he said, the Navy would look at what damage the crash caused to the environment and would seek to mitigate any damage with the goal of returning the area to it’s precrash condition.

Meanwhile, the aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Eight are in Key West for training, Hecht said and that will continue.

The release didn’t state when Strike Fighter Squadron 213 would resume flying, but did say the squadron was slated to wrap up their training in Key West on March 21 and return to Naval Air Station Oceana.

Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.

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