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23h ago

Two U.S. Navy Aircraft From USS Nimitz Crash in South China Sea

Investigators are examining the back-to-back mishaps in contested waters during the carrier’s final homeward leg.

An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, as Nimitz in U.S. 7th Fleet was conducting operations on Feb 12, 2023.
Two US Navy Aircraft From Carrier USS Nimitz Crash Into South China Sea Within 30 Minutes
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Overview

  • An MH-60R Sea Hawk went down at about 2:45 p.m. local time and an F/A-18F Super Hornet at about 3:15 p.m., roughly 30 minutes apart during routine operations from USS Nimitz.
  • Search-and-rescue assets from Carrier Strike Group 11 recovered all five personnel, who were evaluated aboard the carrier and reported in stable condition.
  • The helicopter was assigned to HSM-73 “Battle Cats” and the fighter to VFA-22 “Fighting Redcocks,” according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
  • The Navy has opened investigations and has not identified a cause; President Donald Trump called the events “very unusual” and suggested bad fuel as a possibility.
  • The incidents occurred in the contested South China Sea during Nimitz’s final return transit before planned decommissioning in 2026, with China offering humanitarian assistance if requested.