Free Republic

<p>POINT SUR – The U.S. Coast Guard continued to search the Pacific Ocean 80 miles southwest of Monterey for four U.S. Navy pilots missing after their two fighter jets collided Friday during a combat exercise.</p> <p>Two cutters searched for the pilots through the night, and at first light Saturday, an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter was sent to aid the search, Coast Guard spokeswoman Veronica Bandrowski said.</p>

<p>Monterey -- Two of the U.S. Navy's newest, most advanced fighter jets collided off the Big Sur coastline Friday, sending both aircraft slamming into the Pacific Ocean and possibly killing their four pilots.</p> <p>The F/A-18F Super Hornet planes were practicing routine bombing runs and dogfights with six other Super Hornets, about 70 miles west of Point Sur, when the collision happened at 9:40 a.m., Navy officials said. The jets were not armed.</p>