WASHINGTON — A tense day at sea turned into relief after two U.S.
Navy aircraft went down in the South China Sea — just 30 minutes apart — with everyone surviving.
First came the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter.
It “went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations” from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet said.
Thanks to quick action from rescue teams, all three crew members were pulled safely from the water.
Then, barely half an hour later, a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also crashed.
Back-to-Back Navy Crashes
Officials called it another “routine operation” off the same carrier.
Both pilots ejected in time and were rescued.
“All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the Navy confirmed, adding that investigations into both incidents are underway.
The timing couldn’t be more sensitive. President Donald Trump is touring Asia on his first visit of his second term.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to begin his own multi-country trip.
Two crashes in one day? Routine operations or not, that’s enough to make even seasoned sailors glance nervously at the horizon.
