Two US Navy pilots were rescued from the water on Monday night after an unspecified “mishap” forced them to eject from their aircraft.
The aviators were assigned to the Carrier Air Wing aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which was operating off the coast of Virginia when the incident occurred at approximately 6:18 p.m., according to the US Navy.
Both pilots were recovered quickly and returned to the carrier, where medical personnel are evaluating them.
Four other shipboard personnel were injured. One sailor was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The incident occurred as the USS Eisenhower was conducting its early carrier qualifications, according to the US Naval Institute.
The carrier completed its latest repair period in July and was observed leaving Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Monday afternoon.
The cause of the ejection remains unclear, as does the type of aircraft the pilots were operating.
Air wings assigned to US Navy carriers operate two types of two-seat aircraft: the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.
Two Naval pilots assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (pictured) were ejected from their aircraft Monday night and rescued from the water
The aircraft involved has not been identified. An F/A-18E Super Hornet is shown launching from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2024
The incident comes just weeks after the US Navy faced a mental health crisis involving eight sailors deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the war in Iran who attempted suicide.
More than 6,000 sailors spent 280 days aboard the vessel before it docked in September, following complaints about harsh conditions during the record-setting deployment.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, who was nominated by Donald Trump for the permanent position, confirmed the suicide attempts in a letter sent last week. The letter responded to questions from Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand about conditions aboard the ship.
Cao told Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, that none of the attempts resulted in deaths. The sailors involved were from several ships traveling together.
He also said a bipartisan congressional delegation will board the USS Abraham Lincoln when it returns home as part of an investigation.
“What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as ‘fake news’ turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members,” Senator Gillibrand told Our News Outlet.
“Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect.
“That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms and billionaires, but cannot take care of our service members, is completely unacceptable.”
Sailors have reported receiving meager portions while serving aboard the ship
Crew members load supplies onto the aircraft carrier ahead of its deployment
But changes are already being made as the Pentagon took notice of the toll being placed on sailors during the extended military deployment.
The US Navy announced tweaks to onboard operations as the military prepares the next aircraft carrier for deployment after complaints of brutal conditions.
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The USS Abraham Lincoln patrol included 280 days at sea and 200 in combat zones, playing a crucial role in Operation Epic Fury and the US blockade of Iranian ports.
During their time at sea, sailors onboard reportedly faced alarming conditions that family members said led some service members to experience mental health crises.
As the ship headed home, US Navy officials made a point to thank the crew members for their service while signaling a series of changes being implemented going forward.
‘You answered the call, you got the job done and just as importantly, the lessons you bring home are helping us better prepare the next team to deploy,’ Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman said.
Perryman and Admiral Daryl Caudle added that families should prepare for a longer deployment when the USS Theodore Roosevelt departs from its home port of San Diego.
The decision to do so comes as the Defense Secretary extended troop deployments in the Middle East, including for warship crews, air defense units and paratroopers.
Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand asked Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao about the USS Abraham Lincoln’s conditions and called the suicide attempts ‘completely unacceptable’
The Roosevelt will carry extra supplies and at the same time, the Navy is ‘focused on quality of life’ issues.
Crew members are also ‘converting available spaces into additional storage, building the ability to remain self-sufficient for longer periods, especially when resupply may be difficult,’ Perryman announced.
‘That means new entertainment equipment on the mess decks, more durable fitness equipment, spare cardio machines ready for our replacement, and even holiday materials purchased ahead of time,’ said Caudle.
Additionally, efforts are underway to provide families with ‘reliable, consistent communication throughout the deployment,’ the admiral said.
‘Small things matter during a long deployment because taking care of our sailors is part of maintaining combat readiness,’ Perryman concluded.
‘As one carrier returns home, we listen to its sailors and families. We capture what worked and what didn’t and we make it better the next time.
‘To the Lincoln team, thank you for what you accomplished and for what you taught us,’ he continued. ‘And to the Roosevelt team, we’re doing everything we can to make sure you are ready for the mission, for you and your families.’
The sailors described to the Wall Street Journal how they had to work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week amid cramped conditions.
The sailors described to the Wall Street Journal how they had to work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week amid cramped conditions.
They had been allocated extra time off after their deployment was extended beyond its original end date in May, and crew members tried to keep up morale with activities such as spelling bees or lip-syncing competitions.
But at times, their meal portions became smaller to ensure there would be sufficient rations as the fighting made resupplying the vessels more difficult.
Sailors also said that early on in the deployment, the WiFi onboard the ship was turned off for nearly two months for operational security, which made it more difficult to communicate with friends and family back home.
Despite these challenges, the sailors said they were proud of what they accomplished – including shooting down more than 200 Iranian drones and flying more than 10,000 operational missions.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
