US Navy helicopter, fighter jet crash in South China Sea, probe underway

Amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, a US Navy helicopter and a fighter jet crashed in the South China Sea, sparking security concerns. According to a statement released by the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet, the incident occurred on Sunday while the helicopter and the fighter jet were conducting separate routine operations over the disputed waters.

Shortly after the incident, the Navy launched an investigation into the causes of both crashes, CNN reported. In a social media post on Sunday, the Navy stated that an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73, went down at around 2:45 p.m. local time. The aircraft crashed “while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.”

In its statement, the US Navy confirmed that search-and-rescue crews successfully recovered all three crew members. Another incident was reported at 3:15 p.m. local time, when an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, also went down while conducting routine operations from the Nimitz.

Both crew members aboard the jet were successfully ejected and safely recovered, the Navy said. Surrounded by China and several Southeast Asian nations, parts of the vital South China Sea are claimed by multiple governments. However, Beijing asserts ownership over nearly all of the strategic waterways, often defying international court rulings.

China’s Growing Assertiveness in the Region

Over the past two decades, China has reinforced its territorial claims by constructing military installations in the South China Sea. This has directly challenged what it claims are US efforts to maintain free passage through the international waterway.

It is worth noting that US Navy operations are part of Washington’s broader strategy to counter Beijing’s maritime expansion. Notably, the aircraft crashes occurred while US President Donald Trump was on an Asia tour, during which he was expected to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

The talks between the two leaders are primarily focused on trade, as both nations have agreed to a basic framework for a trade deal to avert tariffs. Relations between the two countries had soured in recent weeks after each imposed sweeping measures on the other, following months of relative calm.

It is also important to note that these crashes follow the loss of two Super Hornet jets by the US Navy in the Red Sea earlier this spring. An individual F/A-18 fighter jet costs more than $60 million, according to the Navy. The USS Nimitz, one of the largest warships in the world, is the oldest US aircraft carrier in service and is scheduled to be retired next year.