Officials from Ottawa are on the scene – investigating what caused a jet to crash during a routine training exercise Friday.
Flight instructors Lt. Col. Lee Vogan and Capt. Jens Lundgreen-Nielsen were flying near CFB Cold Lake when something went wrong.
"We experienced a loud bang from the engine." Capt. Lundgreen-Nielsen said Friday.
The pilots at first attempted to get back to their base, but the CT155 Hawk aircraft wouldn't make it.
They steered the plane towards an open field before ejecting. The pilots landed in a nearby swamp near highway 28, with only minor injuries.
"They made the right decision," said Col. Dave Wheeler. "If they didn't they would be in the fire ball themselves."
This is the second jet to crash from the same base within eight months.
In November, a pilot ejected moments before the CF-18 he was flying crashed while returning from a night training exercise in the area.
While the investigation continues – the pilots in Friday's crash say that event won't keep them out of the sky. They expect to be back in the cockpit by Monday.
With files from Sean Amato
