10/30/2025
Two separate incidents occurred during operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. All five personnel were recovered in stable condition.
New York – A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet and a MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter crashed in the South China Sea in two separate incidents on Sunday during flight operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
According to a statement from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet, both aircraft belonged to squadrons aboard the Nimitz—Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 for the helicopter and Strike Fighter Squadron 22 for the fighter.
The helicopter went down first during a routine mission, followed about half an hour later by the fighter, which also fell into the sea. Authorities have not disclosed the exact location of the crashes, but have confirmed that all five crew members , three aboard the Sea Hawk and two aboard the Super Hornet, have been rescued and are in safe and stable condition.
The cause of the crashes is under investigation.
The moment a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet crashes from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea