A U.S. Navy helicopter and fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of one another in separate incidents on Sunday, military officials said. Here’s what you need to know about the twin crashes and the broader pattern of military aviation accidents:
Twin crashes in South China Sea
Two separate incidents occur within half hour:
- U.S. Navy helicopter and fighter jet crashed into South China Sea within 30 minutes of one another in separate incidents on Sunday, military officials said
- Crew members of both MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter were rescued and did not sustain any injuries, according to U.S. Pacific Fleet
- Two crashes are sure to raise significant questions, especially after other high-profile mishaps this year involving F/A-18
- Sunday’s incidents in South China Sea came as President Trump and other top administration officials were traveling to Asia
Trump cites possible fuel issue
President suggests bad fuel may be cause:
- President said “bad fuel” may be to blame for twin crashes
- “They think it might be bad fuel. We’re going to find out. Nothing to hide. We’ll find out,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One
Timeline of incidents
Sea Hawk helicopter crashes first, followed by fighter jet:
- In series of social media posts, Pacific Fleet said Sea Hawk helicopter went down at 2:45 p.m. while conducting routine operations in South China Sea, vital sea route and scene of increasing provocations in recent years by Chinese military
- “Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members,” Pacific Fleet said
- Thirty minutes later, Pacific fleet said, F/A-18 also went down in South China Sea
- Both crew members on fighter jet ejected and were found by Carrier Strike Group 11 search and rescue personnel, Pentagon said
- Pacific Fleet said that both incidents are under investigation
- Both aircraft took off from aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
Pattern of F/A-18 incidents
Recent string of accidents involving Super Hornets:
- There has been string of high-profile military accidents over past several years, including several involving F/A-18
- In April, F/A-18 fighter jet slipped off hangar deck of USS Harry S. Truman and fell into Red Sea
- Month later, in May, F/A fighter jet landing on carrier in Red Sea went overboard after apparently failing to catch steel cables used to stop landing planes and forcing its two pilots to eject
- Last December, American guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg mistakenly fired on and hit F/A-18 aircraft flying over Red Sea
- Mistaken shoot-down seems to have taken place during U.S. airstrikes that targeted Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen
Other military aviation accidents
Broader pattern of crashes across services:
- There have been other significant incidents in recent years involving other aircraft
- In 2023, Air Force CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed off coast of Japan, killing all eight service members aboard
- Investigators said it resulted from “catastrophic failure” of troubled craft’s gearbox and pilot’s decision not to land immediately in response to warnings in cockpit
- Also in 2023, F-35 fighter jet flew unmanned for 11 minutes before it crashed in rural South Carolina after investigators said pilot prematurely ejected from aircraft
- Last October, two Navy aviators died in jet crash near Mount Rainier in Washington
Read more:
• Navy loses fighter jet, Sea Hawk helicopter within 30 minutes in separate South China Sea crashes
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