U.S. Navy aircraft crash in South China Sea: what we know about the helicopter and fighter jet incidents
Two separate aircraft from the USS Nimitz went down within 30 minutes of each other, and questions need answered.
Two U.S. military aircraft operating from the carrier USS Nimitz plunged into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other on Sunday, prompting a swift rescue mission and an urgent investigation by the Navy’s Pacific Fleet. All five crew members survived.
The accidents – one involving a Seahawk helicopter, the other a Super Hornet fighter – happened during routine operations above one of the world’s most sensitive maritime zones, where Washington and Beijing regularly test each other’s boundaries.
What has Trump said about crashes?
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, President Donald Trump called the near-simultaneous crashes “very unusual,” suggesting faulty fuel could be to blame. “They think it might be bad fuel. We’re gonna find out,” he said. Some are already calling Pete Hegseth out for speedy answers.
When did the crashes happen?
The MH-60R Seahawk went down first, around mid-afternoon, during flight operations from the Nimitz. Three crew members were recovered moments later by search teams. Roughly half an hour later, an F/A-18F Super Hornet also crashed after its pilots ejected. The Navy said both incidents remain under investigation.
The Super Hornet loss marks the fourth time this year the Navy has seen one of its $60-million jets destroyed, CNN reported, following mishaps in the Red Sea and off the Virginia coast.
The South China Sea, ringed by rival claimants but dominated by Beijing’s militarized artificial islands, remains one of the planet’s most volatile strategic arenas. The U.S. presence there – long viewed by China as provocation – is meant to safeguard trade routes and freedom of navigation.
The twin crashes came as Trump began a week-long Asia tour, with a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to focus on trade and regional tensions.
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