A second multi-million-dollar US fighter jet has plunged into the Red Sea from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in a little over a week, raising fresh concerns about naval aviation safety in the region amid ongoing military operations.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday when an F/A-18F Super Hornet, a twin-seat combat aircraft valued at approximately $67 million, failed to land properly on the carrier. According to US Central Command, the aircraft was attempting a routine carrier landing when its tailhook failed to catch the arresting wire — a critical component used to bring landing jets to a stop on the deck. As a result, the aircraft overshot the landing zone and went overboard.
A defense official told AFP that both aviators aboard the Super Hornet successfully ejected and were rescued by a search and rescue helicopter. They were medically evaluated and found to have only minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured in the incident.
This marks the second such mishap involving aircraft from the USS Truman in just over a week. On April 28, another F/A-18 fell into the sea after an accident that injured one sailor and resulted in a tow tractor also being dragged into the water. Furthermore, a separate incident late last year saw another F/A-18 lost when it was mistakenly shot down by the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg during operations—both pilots survived that incident as well.
The USS Harry S. Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers currently deployed in the Middle East. The carrier group has been actively involved in operations against Yemen’s Huthi rebels since mid-March, aiming to deter threats to international shipping in the Red Sea.
Despite the recent ceasefire agreement reportedly brokered by Oman between the US and the Huthis, these aviation mishaps underline the inherent dangers of carrier-based flight operations in high-stress, combat-ready environments.
The US Navy has launched an investigation into the latest accident as part of routine procedures following such incidents.
