US Navy Loses F/A-18F Super Hornet and MH-60R Helicopter in South China Sea Incidents

The causes of the two crashes were under investigation. (Representative)

Washington:

A US fighter jet and a helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea approximately 30 minutes apart, according to the Navy's Pacific Fleet.

The three crew members of the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter were rescued on Sunday afternoon. Similarly, the two aviators aboard the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet successfully ejected and were recovered. The Pacific Fleet confirmed that all five personnel "are safe and in stable condition."

Officials stated that investigations into the causes of both crashes are currently underway.

President Donald Trump addressed the incidents while speaking to reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to Tokyo on Monday. He suggested the crashes might have resulted from "bad fuel" and emphasized there was "nothing to hide."

The USS Nimitz is currently returning to its home port at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state. The carrier had been deployed to the Middle East for most of the summer as part of the United States' response to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels against commercial shipping vessels. This marks the final deployment for the Nimitz before its scheduled decommissioning.

This incident follows several mishaps involving another aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, which has experienced multiple accidents while deployed in the Middle East region.

In December, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down an F/A-18 jet from the Truman.

Later, in April, an F/A-18 fighter jet slid off the Truman's hangar deck and fell into the Red Sea.

Additionally, in May, an F/A fighter jet attempting to land on the carrier in the Red Sea went overboard after apparently failing to catch the arresting cables designed to stop landing aircraft, forcing both pilots to eject.

Fortunately, no sailors were killed in any of these incidents. The military has yet to release the results of investigations into these accidents.