Written by Lisa Murimi
A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet worth $67 million plunged into the Red Sea on Tuesday after a failed landing attempt on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, the second such incident involving the carrier in just over a week.
According to U.S. Central Command, the two-seat warplane went overboard after its tailhook failed to catch the arresting wire—a crucial mechanism used to decelerate jets during carrier landings.
A defense official told AFP, “The arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to go overboard.”
Both aviators safely ejected and were swiftly recovered by a search and rescue helicopter.
Medical personnel later assessed the pilots and found only minor injuries. No flight deck crew members were hurt in the incident.
This marks the second aircraft lost from the Truman in a little over a week.
On April 28, another F/A-18 fell into the sea in a separate mishap that also injured a sailor and swept a tow tractor overboard.
In a third notable incident, an F/A-18 was mistakenly shot down last year by the USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser escorting the Truman. Again, both aviators survived.
The Truman is one of two U.S. carriers operating in the Middle East, conducting strikes against Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
On Tuesday, Oman announced a U.S.-Huthi ceasefire agreement amid ongoing regional tensions. An investigation into the latest crash is underway.
