Another F/A-18 fighter jet has fallen overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, the second time a plane has been lost at sea over the past month.
According to reports, as the F/A-18 fighter jet came in for a landing on Tuesday, the arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to fall overboard. A defense official familiar with the incident said both the jet’s pilot and the weapons systems officer were forced to eject.
The service members were recovered by a rescue helicopter shortly after, with both sustaining minor injuries. The jet has yet to be recovered.
The Washington Times has contacted the Navy for confirmation on what caused the loss.
Tuesday’s incident is the second time in the past month that an F/A-18 fighter jet has fallen off the USS Harry Truman. Late last month, while making a hard turn to avoid rocket fire from Houthi rebels, another F/A-18 jet careened overboard with its trailer and has not been retrieved.
The losses are expensive, with each jet costing the Navy more than $60 million to produce.
The USS Harry S. Truman has come under fire repeatedly from Houthi rockets since the U.S. restarted its bombing campaign against the rebels earlier this year. Since they began their attack in late 2023, the Houthis have targeted U.S. warships nearly 200 times.
The strikes could be put on hold, however, following President Trump’s pledge to stop all U.S. strikes on Yemen on Tuesday. During an Oval Office meeting with the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mr. Trump said Houthi leaders had agreed to stop targeting ships in the Red Sea.
“They have capitulated, but more importantly, we will take their word. They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore,” Mr. Trump said.
