U.S. Navy fighter jet and helicopter crash in separate incidents over South China Sea

U.S. sailors signal on USS Nimitz during replenishment in South China Sea, 14 June 2025
Reuters

A U.S. Navy fighter jet and helicopter crashed in two separate incidents over the South China Sea, the U.S. Pacific Fleet confirmed, adding that all crew members ejected safely and are in stable condition.

According to Report.az, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement on social media that both accidents occurred on 26 October during routine operations.

The first incident took place at around 14:45 local time, when a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter crashed while operating from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

Roughly 30 minutes later, at 15:15, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also went down in the South China Sea.

The Navy confirmed that all crew members ejected safely and were quickly recovered. Their condition has been described as stable, and they are now in a secure location.

An investigation has been launched to determine the causes of the crashes, the statement added.

Tags