A second U.S. fighter jet has gone overboard in the Red Sea within a week, marking a troubling trend for the U.S. Navy. This latest incident involved an F/A-18 Super Hornet, which was attempting to land on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier on Tuesday. The two pilots had to eject from the aircraft during the failed landing, according to defense officials.
Fortunately, the pilots were rescued by a helicopter shortly after and only sustained minor injuries. There were no injuries reported among the crew on the flight deck of the carrier, which is a relief given the circumstances.
This incident follows another mishap on April 28, when an F/A-18 and its tow tractor fell overboard from the same carrier. In that case, a U.S. sailor also suffered minor injuries after having to jump away from the falling equipment.
The F/A-18 jets are valued at around $60 million each, making these losses significant for the Navy. A defense official stated that the latest accident occurred due to a failure in the "arrestment" system. This system is crucial for landing on aircraft carriers as it helps catch the jets using steel wire ropes on the flight deck. The specific cause of the failure has not yet been disclosed.
The USS Harry S. Truman has been actively involved in airstrike operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Earlier this year, the carrier was also involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Port Said, Egypt. In another incident last December, the USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down one of its own F/A-18 jets over the Red Sea, though the pilots managed to eject and were rescued.
As the Navy investigates these incidents, the safety of pilots and the reliability of landing systems on aircraft carriers remain top priorities.