US Navy Loses Fighter Jet, Helicopter in South China Sea Rescues

Two aircraft from the USS Nimitz, an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other on October 26, 2025. All five crew members—three from the helicopter and two from the fighter jet—were rescued or ejected safely and are in stable condition. The USS Nimitz is on its final deployment before decommissioning and recently returned to Naval Base Kitsap in Washington after a summer deployment in the Middle East responding to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial shipping. The causes of both crashes are currently under investigation. These incidents follow a series of recent mishaps involving another carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, which experienced multiple accidents during its Middle East deployment, including a friendly fire incident and aircraft falling overboard, though no fatalities have been reported in any of these events. Official investigation results for these incidents have not yet been released.