A F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet operating from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has been lost in the Red Sea, sources with knowledge of the incident told CNN.
It is not entirely clear why the fighter jet crashed, though two of the sources said there was some kind of failure in arrestment as the aircraft attempted to land on the carrier. The pilot and weapons officers had to eject and received only minor injuries, CNN reported.
The aircraft crashed and sank in the water and has not been recovered.
It is the second loss of a U.S. Navy F/A-18 in as many weeks. On April 28, a Super Hornet fell off the deck of the Harry S. Truman and into the Red Sea as it was being towed inside the ship’s hangar bay. The Navy said the moving crew lost control of the aircraft but did not explain what caused the accident. A sailor was injured as he bailed out of the cockpit to avoid falling off the deck with the jet.
The Navy has not commented on or confirmed this week’s reported loss.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Each aircraft costs approximately $60 million.
The Harry S. Truman has been operating in and around the Red Sea as part of an effort to deter Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have attacked military vessels and commercial shipping in the region. Fighter jets operating from the carrier have taken part in airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas.
The Houthis have periodically struck back at the U.S.-led coalition working to restrain them, mainly by launching missiles and uncrewed drones. The group reportedly fired on the Harry S. Truman on Tuesday but did not connect with its target.
In December, an F/A-18 launched from the Harry S. Truman was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser during the campaign against the Houthis. Its two occupants ejected and were rescued, and the Navy attributed the accident to “friendly fire.”
The carrier was also involved in a collision with a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt, in February. There were no injuries or serious damage to the ship, but an investigation was launched and later that month the carrier’s captain was relieved of command.
