A $67 million US Navy F-18E Super Hornet fighter jet accidentally plunged into the Red Sea after slipping off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier on Monday, the Navy confirmed. The mishap also saw the tow tractor moving the aircraft fall into the sea, and one sailor sustained a minor injury during the incident.
According to a Navy statement, the accident occurred while the jet was being moved inside the carrier’s hangar bay. The towing crew lost control of the aircraft, leading to both the fighter and the tow vehicle going overboard.
“Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard,” the statement said. “All personnel are accounted for.”
This marks the second F-18 loss involving the Harry S. Truman in less than six months. In a separate incident late last year, another Super Hornet was mistakenly shot down by the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg. Both pilots involved in that case survived.
The USS Harry S. Truman remains fully operational in the Red Sea as part of ongoing US military operations in the region. The carrier is one of two deployed to the Middle East amid heightened tensions and continued strikes against Yemen’s Huthi rebels, who have posed threats to commercial and military vessels.
The Navy has launched an investigation into the latest incident. No recovery details for the aircraft or tractor have yet been disclosed.
