KEY POINTS
- US Navy fighter jet and helicopter crashed into the South China Sea
- Crew members from both aircraft were rescued safely and are in stable condition
- Trump called the crashes “very unusual”, suggesting “bad fuel” could be a possible cause
- China warned that frequent US military operations in the region undermine regional stability
- Philippines said such incidents highlight growing security risks in the South China Sea
WASHINGTON: A US Navy fighter jet and helicopter crashed separately into the South China Sea within half an hour of each other on Sunday during routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, officials said.
All crew members were safely rescued and are in stable condition, according to the US Pacific Fleet.
In a statement posted on X, the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet said an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 “Battle Cats”, went down at around 2:45 p.m. local time while conducting routine operations.
All three crew members were rescued by search and rescue teams from USS Nimitz.
South China Sea – On October 26, 2025 at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations
— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025
Roughly 30 minutes later, a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, part of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 “Fighting Redcocks”, also crashed into the sea during similar operations.
from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members.
Following the incident, separately, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks”— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025
Both crew members ejected safely and were recovered by rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11.
of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 also went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from Nimitz. Both crew members successfully ejected and were also safely recovered by search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11.
— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025
“All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition. The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation,” the Pacific Fleet said.
All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition.
The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025
Trump calls crashes ‘unusual’
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, described the two crashes as “very unusual” and suggested that “bad fuel” might be to blame.
“They think it might be bad fuel. We’re going to find out. Nothing to hide,” he said.
The twin crashes occurred as President Trump began his first Asia visit of his second term, with stops in Malaysia and Japan before a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in South Korea.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is also set to embark on a multi-country Asian tour.
China warns against US military presence
China’s Foreign Ministry said it had offered humanitarian assistance to the United States following the incidents.
“If the United States has any request, then China will provide necessary assistance out of humanitarianism,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing on Monday.
However, Guo also criticised US military operations in the region, warning that frequent American flights and drills in the South China Sea “serve as a root cause for sabotaging regional peace and stability”.
He reiterated China’s opposition to what it calls US “muscle-flexing” in the contested waters.
Regional reactions
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., speaking at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, said such incidents highlight the “security risks” in the South China Sea.
“It is regrettable that incidents continue to occur which endanger the lives of personnel and compromise the safety of vessels and aircraft,” he said, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry maintained that peace and stability in the South China Sea should be safeguarded jointly by Beijing and ASEAN countries, accusing Manila of “provocative actions” that fuel regional tensions.
Strategic waters under scrutiny
The USS Nimitz, the US Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier, is currently returning to its home port at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state after deployment in the Middle East as part of the US response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping.
The 50-year-old vessel is on its final deployment before being decommissioned.
The US Navy has faced a series of aviation incidents in recent months. Earlier this year, multiple aircraft were lost from the carrier USS Harry S. Truman during operations in the Middle East.
No fatalities were reported in those cases, and investigations remain ongoing.
The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most vital waterways. Washington routinely conducts operations there to challenge Beijing’s territorial claims, while China has fortified several islands and military outposts across the area.
