Overview
- An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet went down about 30 minutes apart during routine operations from the USS Nimitz in the South China Sea.
- Search-and-rescue teams recovered three helicopter crew members and two aviators, all reported safe and in stable condition.
- The Navy says causes remain under investigation, no additional damage was reported, and the carrier’s precise location was not disclosed.
- China’s foreign ministry said it is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance if the United States requests it.
- The incidents add to a run of recent carrier-aircraft mishaps as the Nimitz returns to Washington state on its final deployment, and President Trump called the events unusual while suggesting unverified bad fuel as a possible factor.