Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The fate of a U.S. Navy pilot whose fighter jet crashed Wednesday in California's Death Valley National Park is not yet known, military officials say.
The pilot, based in central California, was flying a F/A-18E Super Hornet when it crashed in a region on the western flank of Death Valley National Park called Rainbow Canyon, about 130 miles west of Las Vegas.
Navy officials said rescuers are trying to locate the pilot, who was not immediately identified. The crash slightly injured seven people on the ground.
The injured were French tourists. Most received nicks, cuts or minor burns from crash debris. One woman had serious burns on her back and was taken to a Los Angeles-area hospital, KABC-TV reported.
Officials said search and rescue helicopters have been searching the area for the downed pilot.
Spectators often gather at an overlook in Death Valley National Park to watch low-altitude flights, which have occurred there since the 1930s.
"That's one of the attractions, is that people can get pretty close and see the jets," park spokesman Patrick Taylor said.
Military investigators aren't yet sure what caused the fighter to crash.
"We're looking for an aviator out there, hoping for the best," said Capt. Jim Bates of the Strike Fighter Wing Pacific.
The pilot and fighter were assigned to the "Vigilantes" of Strike Fighter Squadron 151, based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, about 30 miles south of Fresno and 115 miles southeast of San Jose.
"There has been a tragedy in our squadron," the "Vigilantes" squadron posted to Facebook. "Please allow the investigation process to be completed as designed."
Bates said the pilot was performing a scheduled low-level flight when the crash occurred.
"It's a dynamic environment, and we train to the highest of standards," he said. "[The search area is] rugged, it's remote, so it's going to be challenging."
Rainbow Canyon is known colloquially as "Star Wars Canyon" due to its resemblance to the protagonist's home planet in the 1977 sci-fi blockbuster.