US warplane falls off aircraft carrier into Red Sea
A multi-million-dollar US warplane fell off the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier into the Red Sea on Monday in an accident that injured one sailor, the Navy said.
A tractor that was towing the fighter plane -- a model that cost $67 million in 2021 -- also slipped off the ship into the sea. 'The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,' the Navy said in a statement.
'Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard,' it said. 'All personnel are accounted for, with one sailor sustaining a minor injury.'
The carrier and its other planes remain in action and the incident is under investigation, the Navy added. No details of recovery work were released.
It is the second F/A-18 operating off the Truman to be lost in less than six months, after another was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser late last year in incident that both pilots survived.
The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the Middle East, where US forces have been hammering Yemen's Huthi rebels with strikes since mid-March in an attempt to end the threat they pose to ships in the region.
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Daily Tribune
08-05-2025
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US warplane falls off aircraft carrier into Red Sea
A multi-million-dollar US warplane fell off the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier into the Red Sea on Monday in an accident that injured one sailor, the Navy said. A tractor that was towing the fighter plane -- a model that cost $67 million in 2021 -- also slipped off the ship into the sea. 'The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,' the Navy said in a statement. 'Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard,' it said. 'All personnel are accounted for, with one sailor sustaining a minor injury.' The carrier and its other planes remain in action and the incident is under investigation, the Navy added. No details of recovery work were released. It is the second F/A-18 operating off the Truman to be lost in less than six months, after another was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser late last year in incident that both pilots survived. The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the Middle East, where US forces have been hammering Yemen's Huthi rebels with strikes since mid-March in an attempt to end the threat they pose to ships in the region.
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US fighter jet sinks into sea
TDT | Agencies An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet slipped off the hangar deck of the USS Harry S Truman and plunged into the Red Sea yesterday while being towed, the US Navy confirmed. The jet was being moved inside the carrier's hangar bay when the towing crew lost control.
Gulf Insider
29-04-2025
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Jet Lost as US Carrier Evades Houthi Attack
A $60 million fighter jet has been 'lost' at sea at a moment American naval assets under US Central Command have been conducting bombing campaigns against Yemen's Houthis since March 15. But as far as what's being reported from the Pentagon, the jet wasn't shot out of the sky during operations – it apparently rolled off an aircraft carrier. The US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet 'fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier while it was being towed on board, the Navy said in a statement on Monday,' CNN reports. Initial reports strongly suggest the mishap was caused due to the Truman carrier having to take sudden evasive action to avoid inbound Houthi fire: A US official said that initial reports from the scene indicated that the Truman made a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, which contributed to the fighter jet falling overboard. The Houthi rebel group claimed on Monday to have launched a drone and missile attack on the aircraft carrier, which is in the Red Sea as part of the US military's major anti-Houthi operation. A naval crew member had been able to jump off the jet at the last minute when the accident occurred as it was being towed out of the hanger bay. One sailor reportedly sustained minor injury. The Houthis said Monday they launched a fresh attack targeting the Truman carrier, following many other such claimed attacks. This appears to be the first time the US Navy has linked damage aboard a warship with an inbound Houthi assault (albeit somewhat indirectly). A prior incident involving 'friendly fire' against a US jet also resulted in the aircraft's loss (see below). Click here to read more Also read: Houthis Claim Attacks On Two US Aircraft Carrier Groups Off Yemen
