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Fighter Jet and Helicopter from USS Nimitz Crash in South China Sea. With All Crew Members Safe
A fighter jet and helicopter from the USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea. With all five crew members rescued safely as investigations into the incidents continue.
USS Nimitz Visits Busan Port via Getty Images
A fighter jet and a helicopter operating from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other. The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet confirmed on Sunday.
According to a statement from the fleet, the three crew members of the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter were rescued. While the two aviators aboard the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet safely ejected and recovered. All five service members are safe and in stable condition.
The Navy said the causes of both crashes are under investigation.
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Tokyo on Monday. Said the incidents could have been caused by “bad fuel.” He ruled out foul play and emphasized that there was “nothing to hide.”
The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is currently on its return journey to Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state. It had been deployed to the Middle East for most of the summer in response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial shipping. The carrier’s ongoing voyage marks its final deployment before decommissioning.
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Recent months have seen other mishaps involving U.S. Navy carriers in the region. The USS Harry S. Truman, deployed to the Middle East, experienced multiple incidents earlier this year. In December, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down an F/A-18 jet from the Truman. In April, another F/A-18 fighter jet slipped off the Truman’s hangar deck and fell into the Red Sea.
In May, an F/A jet landing on the Truman also went overboard after failing to catch the arrest cables used to halt incoming aircraft, forcing both pilots to eject.
No fatalities occurred in any of the incidents, and investigations into those previous mishaps remain ongoing.
