The first incident involved an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the USS Nimitz. The helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 (“Battle Cats”), went down around 2:45 p.m. with three crew members on board. All were safely rescued.

About 30 minutes later, at approximately 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet from Strike Fighter Squadron 22 (“Fighting Redcocks”) also crashed. Both pilots ejected safely and were recovered without injuries.

The USS Nimitz was on its final deployment before decommissioning, operating in the strategically sensitive South China Sea, a region with overlapping territorial claims. While the crashes were unrelated, two aircraft from the same carrier strike group going down within such a short period is highly unusual.

The US Pacific Fleet confirmed that all personnel are safe and in stable condition. Investigations are underway to determine the causes, which may include mechanical failure, environmental factors, or operational issues.

These incidents highlight the inherent risks of military operations in contested waters and may lead to reviews of aircraft maintenance, flight operations, and safety protocols across the fleet.