BREAKING NEWS

Odessa, Wash.-- A U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler jet out of Whidby Island Naval Air Station has crashed into a farmer's field between Odessa and Harrington about a half a mile north of Coffee Pot Road and about a mile from where Coffee Pot intersects with Duck Lake Lamona Road. Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers and coroner Jeff Barkdull have confirmed that three people were on board the aircraft and that all three were deceased at the scene. The crash was followed by a fire, as the plane had about 45 minutes worth of fuel still on board when it went down.

The scene has been secured by the Sheriff's Office, and investigators from Whidbey are enroute by helicopter to conduct their investigation into the cause. Two planes were flying in the area, Magers said, and the second plane remained circling over the site of the crash until a low fuel supply made it necessary for the plane to return to its base.

Several area farmers saw the smoke from the crash scene, notified authorities and went to investigate. Harrington farmer Don Timm said the crash site was on property farmed by him. He described seeing a lot of wreckage spread over a wide area, but the fire was out by the time he had arrived on the scene.

Firemen and paramedics from both Harrington and Odessa were the first responders to the crash site.