US Navy Loses Two Aircraft in South China Sea

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A US Navy fighter jet and a helicopter based on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, crashed in the South China Sea within 30 minutes on Sunday, October 26, 2025. The US Pacific Fleet confirmed that three crew members of the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter were successfully rescued. Two pilots of the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet managed to eject and were found safe.

"All five individuals are in stable condition," according to a statement from the US Pacific Fleet, as reported by CNA. The cause of the accidents has not been determined.

USS Nimitz returned to its homeport at the Kitsap Naval Base in the state of Washington. Earlier, USS Nimitz was deployed to the Middle East for most of the summer to respond to Yemen's Houthi attacks on US commercial ships. This aircraft carrier was on its final mission before being decommissioned. Another aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S Truman, has experienced a series of mishaps in recent months during its deployment to the Middle East.

In December, the USS Gettysburg guided-missile cruiser accidentally shot down an F/A-18 jet from the Truman. In April, another F/A-18 fighter jet detached from the Truman's hangar deck and plunged into the Red Sea.

In May, an F/A-18 fighter jet that was landing on an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea crashed into the sea after apparently failing to hook onto the arresting cable used for aircraft landings, forcing both pilots to eject.

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