Navy officials did not disclose how the wreckage may be recovered. Last winter, after a Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk crashed into the bay, the helicopter was lifted from 15 feet of water and stabilized on a barge. It was then offloaded onto a pier at Naval Base Coronado. The operation took 10 hours.

The E/A-18G Growler crashed into the water off San Diego after its two aviators ejected. The aircraft is believed to have crashed between Point Loma and Naval Air Station North Island.