A U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz crashed in separate incidents over the South China Sea on Sunday afternoon about 30 minutes apart. All five crew members were recovered in safe, stable condition, according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The U.S. Pacific Fleet said the first incident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time Sunday, when an MH-60R Sea Hawk from the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 went down during routine operations. Search-and-rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11 recovered all three personnel.
About 30 minutes later, around 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 also crashed during routine operations. Both aviators ejected and were rescued by Carrier Strike Group 11. The Navy said all involved are safe and in stable condition, and the causes of both incidents are under investigation.
The aircraft were operating from the USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The carrier is returning to its home port at Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, after a summer deployment to the Middle East and is on its final deployment before decommissioning, according to multiple outlets citing Navy officials.
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday while en route to Tokyo, called the back-to-back crashes “very unusual.” He said investigators were examining whether contaminated fuel might have played a role and added there was “nothing to hide,” while stressing that the Navy is still determining the cause.
China’s Foreign Ministry offered to provide humanitarian assistance if requested following the crashes. At a regular press briefing, spokesperson Guo Jiakun also criticized U.S. military activity in the region, saying the United States frequently “flexes muscles” in the South China Sea and calling that a root cause of maritime security concerns.
The incidents occurred as Trump traveled through Asia. He attended ASEAN meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before heading to Japan, and is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday. Ahead of the trip, Trump said he hoped the U.S. and China could reach a trade agreement.