Two US Navy aircraft went down in the South China Sea in separate incidents within 30 minutes of each other, according to the US Pacific Fleet.
US President Donald Trump described the back-to-back crashes as “very unusual” and suggested a possible fuel problem when he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, during his flight from Malaysia to Japan. “They think it might be bad fuel. We’re going to find out. Nothing to hide, sir,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question.
The two aircraft were conducting routine operations over disputed waters, which China claims in full. Five crew members were involved, all of whom have been rescued safely. Both aircraft were deployed from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
The US Navy’s MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter first went down in the waters of the South China Sea at 14:45 local time on Sunday. All three crew members were recovered safely.
Just 30 minutes later, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also crashed during routine operations from the USS Nimitz. Two crew members were ejected from the plane and later recovered.
The USS Nimitz (center) sails through international waters alongside Japanese and South Korean ships during an exercise in April 2023 (South Korean Ministry of Defense via Getty Images)
The Sea Hawk is assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73. The Super Hornet was part of the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22.
China’s foreign ministry said Beijing would be willing to help with any rescue and recovery operations.
Spokesman Guo Jiakun told a press conference on Monday that China “will provide necessary assistance from a humanitarian perspective if the US requests it”.
He also took the opportunity to criticize US operations in the region, accusing Washington of carrying out regular displays of military force in the South China Sea, increasing risks to maritime operations and undermining regional peace.
“All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the Pacific Fleet, the world’s largest naval command, said in a statement. They added that an investigation has been launched into both incidents.
At the time of the incident, the USS Nimitz was returning to its home port of Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state after being deployed to the Middle East for most of the summer as part of the US response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial shipping. The carrier was on its last deployment before being decommissioned.
First commissioned in 1975, the Nimitz is the US Navy’s oldest serving aircraft carrier and is scheduled to retire in 2026.
Nimitz-class battleships are the largest ships in the fleet, measuring nearly 1,100 feet from bow to stern. They can operate continuously for 20 years without refueling thanks to their onboard nuclear power plants.
The incidents occurred amid Trump’s tour of Asia, during which he is expected to meet with a host of Asian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China has stepped up efforts to bolster its territorial claims in the South China Sea amid ongoing disputes over numerous islands and waterways with other Southeast Asian nations. Beijing has claimed ownership of almost the entire strategic waterway.
US forces maintain a presence in the region to support regional allies and push back Chinese sovereignty claims.
