US Navy helicopter and fighter jet crash in separate South China Sea incidents

Two US Navy aircraft crashed during routine operations in the South China Sea in separate incidents on Sunday.

The US Navy’s Pacific Fleet took to X informing that the first crash involved a MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, which “went down while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz”.

“On October 26, 2025 at approximately 2.45 pm local time, a US Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members,” they wrote.

Another incident took place at 3.15 pm where an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from Nimitz.

“Following the incident, separately, at 3.15 pm, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 also went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from Nimitz. Both crew members successfully ejected and were also safely recovered by search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11,” as per US Navy.

According to the US Navy, all personnel involved in the operations are safe, in stable condition and the cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.