Two U.S. Navy aircraft went down in the South China Sea in separate incidents on Sunday, according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
All of the crew members in both incidents were successfully recovered by search and rescue units, it said.
The first incident involved a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, which went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement posted on X.
All three crew members were rescued in that incident, which took place around 2:45 p.m. local time on Sunday.
About a half-hour later, U.S. Pacific Fleet said an F/A Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 also went down while conducting routine operations from the USS Nimitz. The helicopter that had gone down earlier was also from the Nimitz.
Both crew members successfully ejected and were also safely recovered by search and rescue teams, U.S. Pacific Fleet said.
The incidents took place as President Trump is on a trip to Asia. He was leaving Malaysia on Monday and on his way to Japan.
All personnel involved in both incidents are safe and in stable condition, Pacific Fleet said. It added that both incidents are under investigation.
