Two pilots from the U.S. Navy ejected while trying to land a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier on Tuesday, leading to the jet’s loss in the Red Sea. This marks the second occurrence of such an event within a week, according to Department of Defense officials.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet, part of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, was attempting to land on the USS Harry S. Truman’s flight deck when the arrestment process failed, resulting in the aircraft going overboard, as reported to Fox News Digital.
The USS Harry S. Truman at sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jose Hernandez)
The $67.4 million aircraft was lost when it was actively under tow in a hangar bay when the crew lost control of the aircraft.
Sailors towing the aircraft took “immediate action” to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard, the Navy said.
During this time, officials stated that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, consisting of U.S. warships stationed in the Red Sea, along with an air wing, continued to be fully mission-capable.
Armed rebels of the Iran-backed Houthi militia. (Osamah Yahya/picture alliance via Getty Images | REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah)
The strike group comprises the Truman aircraft carrier and nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, three guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 28, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg.
The carrier has been operating in the Red Sea, where it has launched strikes against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists based in Yemen. On Tuesday, Trump announced a ceasefire with the terror group.
