In a rare double mishap, the United States Navy lost both a fighter jet and a helicopter within a span of 30 minutes while operating over the South China Sea. The incidents occurred during routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
Sequence of Events
According to official reports, the first incident involved an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter that crashed into the sea during regular flight operations. The helicopter’s three crew members were rescued immediately by naval personnel and are reported to be safe and in stable condition.
Barely thirty minutes later, a F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet from the same carrier also went down. The two pilots ejected safely before impact and were recovered from the water by a search team. Both are said to be out of danger.
Cause Under Investigation
The U.S. Navy has launched an internal investigation to determine the cause of the crashes. Preliminary reports indicate that both aircraft were engaged in routine exercises, and there is no sign of hostile activity or external interference.
Navy officials have not ruled out the possibility of technical malfunctions or fuel-related issues but emphasized that a detailed probe is underway to identify what led to the near-simultaneous failures.
About the Carrier
The USS Nimitz, one of the U.S. Navy’s oldest and most powerful aircraft carriers, is currently returning to its home port in Washington state after completing deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. The twin incidents come at a time when American naval forces are maintaining a strong presence in the South China Sea, a zone of rising geopolitical tension.
No Casualties Reported
Despite the loss of both aircraft, the Navy confirmed that no personnel were injured or killed. Recovery efforts for debris are continuing in coordination with support vessels in the area.