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US Navy helicopter, fighter jet crash in South China Sea, probe underway – Firstpost
The United States Navy confirmed that both a MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet jet crashed in the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The helicopter went down around 2:45 p.m. local time and the fighter jet crashed at about 3:15 p.m., separate incidents according to the Navy’s Pacific Fleet statement. All crew members — three from the helicopter, two from the jet — were safely recovered. The accidents occurred at a time of heightened strategic competition in the region, where multiple nations assert claims over the waters, and the U.S. uses carrier operations to reinforce freedom of navigation. A formal investigation has been launched to determine causes and assess broader implications for naval operations and regional stability.
The Key points
- A MH-60R Seahawk helicopter operating from the USS Nimitz crashed during routine operations in the South China Sea.
- Shortly after, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet from the same carrier also crashed.
- All five service members — three helicopter crew and two fighter-jet pilots — were recovered safely.
- The incidents occurred amid rising U.S.–China maritime tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The South China Sea is claimed by multiple nations, while China asserts near-total control.
- U.S. carrier deployments in the area are part of Washington’s strategy to counter maritime expansion.
- The USS Nimitz is among America’s oldest active carriers and plays a key role in regional operations.
- Each F/A-18 super-hornet jet reportedly costs over $60 million, underlining the material stakes of such losses.
- The Navy has opened a formal probe to identify technical, procedural or environmental causes.
- The timing of the crashes coincides with broader diplomatic engagement between U.S. and China in Asia.
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