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Manila/Washington (Defence Desk) – Two US Navy aircraft — an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet — crashed into the South China Sea in separate incidents on Sunday, the US Pacific Fleet confirmed. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, and all five crew members were rescued safely.
Sea Hawk Helicopter Goes Down First
According to an official Navy statement, the Sea Hawk helicopter went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine flight operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
“All three crew members aboard were recovered by search and rescue teams,” the Navy said, adding that all personnel were in stable condition following medical evaluation aboard the carrier.
The MH-60R Sea Hawk, widely used for anti-submarine warfare, reconnaissance, and rescue missions, is a vital part of the carrier strike group’s air operations.
Super Hornet Crashes 30 Minutes Later
Roughly 30 minutes after the first crash, a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet — also assigned to the USS Nimitz — crashed into the South China Sea during another routine flight operation.
Both crew members ejected safely before the jet hit the water and were recovered by Navy personnel. The Super Hornet, a twin-engine multirole fighter, is one of the US Navy’s front-line combat aircraft, capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
No Casualties, Investigations Underway
“All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet said in a statement. The cause of both incidents remains under investigation, and recovery operations for the downed aircraft are ongoing.
The Navy did not indicate whether the two crashes were related or coincidental but confirmed that flight operations aboard the USS Nimitz have resumed with safety precautions in place.
Incidents Coincide with Trump’s Asia Tour
The twin crashes come at a sensitive geopolitical moment, as US President Donald Trump is currently visiting Asia on his first official tour of the region in his second term. The trip includes key stops in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam, aimed at reinforcing US alliances and addressing regional security challenges.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is also set to begin a multi-country Asian visit, focusing on defence cooperation and Indo-Pacific security amid growing tensions in the South China Sea, a region contested by several nations including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Similar Incidents Earlier This Year
This is not the first time the US Navy has faced back-to-back aviation mishaps. Earlier this year, two US warplanes fell off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman while operating in the Middle East, prompting a similar investigation into operational safety and maintenance protocols.
Military analysts suggest that such accidents, while rare, underscore the operational risks of carrier-based flight missions — especially in rough weather or during extended deployments.
No Impact on Regional Operations
Despite the twin crashes, the US Pacific Fleet has assured that regional naval operations continue without disruption. The USS Nimitz, one of the Navy’s oldest active aircraft carriers, remains deployed in the South China Sea as part of ongoing freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in international waters.
As investigations continue, both aircraft losses are expected to undergo recovery and technical analysis to determine mechanical or procedural causes — crucial for preventing future incidents during high-tempo operations in contested zones.
