A US F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet fell into the Red Sea on Monday after slipping off the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier while being towed, the Navy said.
The fighter jet slipped off the hangar deck of the USS Harry S Truman as sailors were towing it into the hangar bay, the Navy said. The aircraft, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 136, fell into the Red Sea after the towing crew lost control during the move.
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said in a statement.
The crew members in the Super Hornet’s cockpit and on the towing vehicle jumped out safely before both went overboard into the Red Sea. One sailor had minor injuries, but everyone was accounted for.
“Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard,” the Navy said.
$60 million F/A-18E aircraft
The $60 million aircraft’s loss occurred during routine repositioning operations, which are standard procedures for flight preparation and maintenance work.
The Navy has launched an investigation into the latest incident, though, it is still unclear if the Navy will try to recover the lost jet.
A US official told CNN that the USS Harry S Truman’s sharp turn to avoid Houthi fire may have caused the F/A-18E fighter jet to fall into the Red Sea.
The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for launching drone and missile attacks on the aircraft carrier that day, the outlet said.
USS Harry S Truman, commissioned in 1998
The USS Truman has been stationed in the Middle East since February, participating in strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen from March 15.
US Central Command confirmed ongoing daily military operations involving fighter jets, bombers, ships and drones. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth had extended the Truman’s deployment by approximately one month.
The USS Harry S Truman, commissioned in 1998, is a 1,092-foot aircraft carrier capable of speeds over 30 knots. It can carry around 90 aircraft and accommodate more than 5,000 crew members, the CBS new reported.
The carrier recently underwent repairs following a collision with a merchant vessel near Egypt. In December, it experienced another F/A-18 incident when the USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down one of its fighters, though the pilots safely ejected.
