US Navy Fighter Jet Lost Overboard from Aircraft Carrier in Red Sea

It was reported by the United States Navy that a fighter jet was “lost at sea” when it fell overboard from an aircraft carrier while it was being towed on April 28 in the Middle East.

According to the Navy, the F/A-18E Super Hornet was being towed into the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman when it unexpectedly crashed off the hangar deck of the ship. After that, the crew was unable to maintain control of the aircraft, which led to the fighter jet and the tow tractor crashing into the Red Sea.

According to a statement released by the Navy, sailors who were towing the fighter jet “took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft” before it crashed off the hangar deck. One sailor had a minor injury, but we were able to locate and account for every member of the crew.

There was an instant lack of clarity regarding the possible factors that led to the crew members losing control of the aircraft. Officials from the Navy have stated that they have begun an investigation into the incident.

Squadron 136 of the Strike Fighters was the one that was given the fighter jet. The Naval Air Systems Command estimates that the price of an F/A-18 fighter jet can reach approximately sixty million dollars.

During the time that the Truman Carrier Strike Group was engaged in operations in the Middle East, the incident took place. During the past few months, the aircraft carrier has been conducting operations in the region and has been providing assistance to strikes against the Houthi group in Yemen, which is supported by Iran.

According to a statement released by the Navy, “The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and embarked air wing continue to be fully capable of carrying out their missions.”

Apparently, an aircraft carrier may have made a sharp turn in order to avoid Houthi fire.

ABC News, CNN, Politico, and Reuters are among the news agencies that have reported that authorities from the United States have informed multiple news outlets that initial reports from the incident suggest that the aircraft carrier diverted to avoid fire from Houthis.

Reuters was informed by a United States official that initial reports indicated that the Truman made a sharp turn as a result of an attack carried out by the Houthis in the vicinity. On the other hand, it was not obvious whether the movement was the reason of the fighter jet going overboard.

ABC News said that officials acknowledged that initial allegations remained unsubstantiated and that the investigation into the incident is still continuing.

Earlier on April 28, the Houthis issued a statement in which they claimed that they had targeted the aircraft carrier and the warships that were linked with it as a form of retaliation for what they referred to as the crimes committed by the United States against civilians. On multiple occasions, the aircraft carrier has been the subject of attacks carried out by the Hou this.

At least 68 people were killed and 47 others were injured when a prison in Yemen that was housing African migrants was targeted by what is believed to be an airstrike from the United States, according to a television station run by the Houthis on April 28. The attack was one of the most deadly that has been carried out against the Houthis in the past six weeks.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump increased the number of military operations that were directed at the Houthis. These operations included strikes on a gasoline facility located on the shore of the Red Sea, which resulted in the deaths of at least 74 individuals. It has been vowed by federal officials that they will continue to launch attacks against the Houthis until the organisation stops attacking ships in the Red Sea.

According to a statement released by the United States Central Command on April 27, its troops have successfully attacked over 800 targets since the beginning of the ongoing operation in Yemen, which is known as Operation Rough Rider, on March 15. The Central Command has stated that the strikes had resulted in the deaths of “hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders.”

Current event regarding the United States Ship Harry S. Truman

At the beginning of April, announced that the United States Department of Defense had decided to extend Truman’s deployment in the Middle East for an additional month. In addition, the Pentagon dispatched additional bombers to the region and authorised the formation of a second flotilla.

The Truman was involved in a collision with a cargo ship in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, close to Egypt, in the month of February. As of that moment, there were no reports of injuries.

Following his appointment as captain of the Truman in December 2023, Captain Dave Snowden was eventually terminated by the Navy. A “loss of confidence in [Snowden’s] ability to command… after [the] Truman was involved in a collision,” according to a Navy release, was the reason that Snowden’s commander, Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, dismissed him from his position.

In a statement released in December 2024, Central Command said that it had accidentally shot down one of its fighter planes while it was flying over the Red Sea. As a result, both pilots were forced to flee the aircraft. After what Central Command described as a “apparent case of friendly fire,” the two pilots were evacuated, with one of them suffering just minor injuries.

This particular fighter was an F/A-18 Hornet that was launched from the Truman. It was reported by Central Command that the missile cruiser Gettysburg, which was one of the escort ships for the aircraft carrier, “mistakenly fired on and hit” the aircraft.

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