Navy jets make emergency landing at Norfolk International Airport

By Brock Vergakis

NORFOLK

Two Navy fighter jets made successful  emergency landings at Norfolk International Airport on Wednesday because they were running low on fuel and the runways at two nearby bases weren’t immediately available because of other operations.

The pilots of the F/A-18s declared an emergency and landed about 12:30 p.m., said Robert Bowen, Norfolk International Airport’s deputy executive director. Bowen said the jets landed safely, refueled and returned to Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach about two hours later.

Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesman Cmdr. Mike Kafka said the jets belong to Strike Fighter Squadron 87 and were on a training mission. He said once the pilots were alerted that they were low on fuel, diverting to Norfolk International became the safe thing to do.

Bowen said it is rare for a military aircraft  to need to land at the airport.