Two US Navy aircraft crash during South China Sea operations; all crew rescued
A US Navy helicopter and fighter jet crashed separately during routine operations over the South China Sea on Sunday, coinciding with President Donald Trump's ASEAN visit. Both incidents occurred from the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, with all five crew members rescued safely. The Navy confirmed that "all personnel involved are safe and in stable condition," adding that investigations are underway into the cause of both crashes.
New Delhi: A US Navy helicopter and a fighter jet crashed separately during routine operations over the South China Sea on Sunday, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s visit to the region for the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. No casualties were reported in either incident, according to the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet.
The first crash involved an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter that "went down in the waters of South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.” The Navy said all three crew members were rescued by search and rescue teams. About 30 minutes later, a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also went down "while conducting routine operations” from the same carrier. Both crew members ejected safely and were recovered, the Navy confirmed.
Back-to-back midsea crashes
The Navy said on social media Sunday evening that the MH-60R Seahawk, assigned to the "Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73, went down around 2:45 pm local time. "Search-and-rescue crews rescued three crew members,” the statement said. At 3:15 pm, an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 also went down while conducting operations from the USS Nimitz. "All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the US Navy added. "The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.”
The twin crashes occurred as President Trump embarked on a diplomatic tour across Asia, during which he is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping for discussions focused on trade. Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained recently following reciprocal economic measures.
Earlier crashes and losses
The latest mishaps come months after two Super Hornet jets were lost in the Red Sea earlier this year. Each F/A-18 fighter jet costs over USD 60 million, according to Navy data. CNN reported that the USS Nimitz, one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers — is the oldest active US carrier and is slated for retirement next year. Earlier this year, two US warplanes also fell off the USS Harry S Truman while conducting operations in the Middle East.