Second F/A-18 from USS Harry S. Truman crashes in Red Sea
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A second F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Harry S. Truman has crashed in the Red Sea, intensifying scrutiny of US Navy operations amid tensions with Yemen.
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In this photograph released by the US Navy, an F/A-18 Super Hornet prepares to launch off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, on July 5, 2024, in the South China Sea. (AP)
A second F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet deployed from the USS Harry S. Truman has crashed in the Red Sea, marking the second such incident involving the carrier in just over a week, CNN reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The aircraft reportedly experienced a malfunction with the arresting gear while attempting to land aboard the vessel, forcing the pilot and weapons systems officer to eject. Both crew members were retrieved by a rescue helicopter and sustained only minor injuries, according to one source.
The jet sank into the Red Sea and has not yet been recovered.
Intense confrontations with Yemeni forces
The crash comes amid intensifying confrontations in the Red Sea between the US Navy and Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF). The YAF claimed responsibility for the events that led to the earlier downing of a US aircraft in the same area, asserting that it occurred during retaliatory strikes against the USS Harry S. Truman for its involvement in attacks on Yemeni territory.
On Tuesday, the YAF reportedly targeted the Truman again, despite President Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire with Yemen earlier that day. It remains unclear if the latest missile strike contributed to the crash, but US officials have not ruled out the possibility to CNN.
The Pentagon has deferred all inquiries to the US Navy and CENTCOM, both of which have yet to issue public statements.
Read more: Sanaa announces downing F/A-18, hitting vital Israeli military sites
Carrier plagued by prior accidents, leadership shakeup
Harry S. Truman's ongoing deployment in the Red Sea has been marred by a string of operational mishaps. In December, one of its Super Hornets was destroyed in a friendly fire incident involving the USS Gettysburg during a joint engagement against Yemeni positions. That was followed by a February collision with a civilian vessel near Egyptian waters, prompting the removal of then-commander Captain Dave Snowden. Captain Christopher Hill has since taken command of the carrier.
Each F/A-18 Super Hornet has an estimated cost exceeding $60 million, making these losses both strategically and financially significant for the US Navy.
The series of incidents has raised questions over operational safety and command efficacy as the US continues its controversial deployment in the increasingly volatile Red Sea theater.
Read more: 'Israel' bombs Yemen's Sanaa airport, other civilian infrastructure
