CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (WRIC) – The Navy service member who died in Wednesday night’s plane crash off of Chincoteague, Va. has been identified.
According to Navy officials, Lt. Hyrum Hanlon was pronounced dead after the E-2D Hawkeye he was aboard went down in the water off of Wildcat Marsh in Accomack County.
According to a statement from Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs, Lt. Hanlon was commissioned into the Navy in 2017 after attending Arizona State University. He was assigned to Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 120.
“It takes a courageous and patriotic person to devote their life to the selflessness of serving in the armed forces,” said Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr., Commanding Officer of VAW-120 “Hyrum embodied those characteristics and will be truly missed by his family and the Hawkeye community. We sincerely appreciate the public respecting the family’s privacy during this difficult time as they mourn his loss.”
Hanlon and two other Navy service members were flying out of Norfolk on a routine flight operation in the vicinity of Wallops Island when the plane went down. The other members of the crew sustained serious injuries from the crash.
The crash brought a rapid response from the Navy, Coast Guard, NASA, and many neighboring fire and law enforcement agencies.
The Navy said they are continuing to coordinate with local officials to salvage the aircraft, and are making the health and safety of the local community a top priority during this recovery operation.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a statement Friday night on this incident saying, “The First Lady and I are heartbroken by the passing of Navy Lt. Hyrum Hanlon.”
“Our hearts go out to their families, the Naval crew members, as well as the members of Naval Air Force Atlantic. This serves as a reminder that our great servicemen and women risk their lives every day to serve our country,” he added.
