A US Navy helicopter and a fighter jet went down Sunday throughout separate routine operations over the South China Sea, and all crew members have been safely rescued, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet stated.
The Navy has launched an investigation into the reason behind each incidents.
The Navy stated on social media Sunday night {that a} MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down round 2:45 p.m. native time “while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.” Search-and-rescue crews rescued three crew members, the Navy stated.
After the incident, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 additionally went down whereas conducting routine operations from Nimitz. Both crew members efficiently ejected and have been safely recovered, the Navy stated.
Bracketed by China and a number of Southeast Asian nations, components of the important South China Sea are claimed by a number of governments, however Beijing asserts possession over virtually all of the strategic waterway, in defiance of a global courtroom ruling.
Over the final twenty years, China has fortified its territorial claims by setting up army installations throughout the sea, straight difficult US efforts to keep up free passage by way of the worldwide waterway. US Navy operations are additionally a part of Washington’s broader technique to counter Beijing’s maritime growth.
The plane crashes come amid President Donald Trump’s diplomacy tour in Asia, the place he’s anticipated to fulfill with Chinese chief Xi Jinping this week for talks targeted totally on commerce.
Relations between the two nations had soured in latest weeks after each slapped sweeping measures on the different following months of relative calm. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated Sunday that the US has reached a framework commerce settlement with China, easing tensions earlier than the extremely anticipated assembly between Trump and Xi.
The crashes come after the Navy misplaced two Super Hornet jets in the Red Sea this spring. An particular person F/A-18 fighter jet prices greater than $60 million, in line with the Navy.
The USS Nimitz, considered one of the largest warships in the world, is the oldest US plane provider in service and will probably be retired subsequent 12 months.