Navy Aircraft Crash in South China Sea โฃin Separate Incidents
Two U.S. Navy aircraft – a helicopter and a โคfighter jet – crashed in the South China Sea on Oct. 26, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet reported. All personnel โinvolved were safely recovered.
A MH-60R Seahawk helicopter whent down at approximately 2:45 p.m.local time “while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz,” according to a Navy statement posted on social media. The helicopterโ was assigned to โthe “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73. Search-and-rescue crews rescuedโข all three crew members.
Following the helicopter incident, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, assigned to the “Fighting โคRedcocks” โof Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) โ22,โข also crashedโ in the South China sea “while conducting routine โoperations from Nimitz.” Both crew members of the fighter jet โsuccessfully ejectedโฃ and were recovered.
“All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the Navy stated. The cause of both incidents is โcurrently under investigation.
The USSโฃ Nimitz, one ofโค the largest warships in the world and the oldest American aircraft carrier in active service, is on the โreturn leg of itsโ final deployment beforeโข decommissioning in 2026. The carrier departed the Westโฃ Coast on March 26 and โentered the South china seaโ on Oct. 17, according to USNI News, โtheโ nonprofit news service of the Naval Institute.