US military loses An F/A-18E aboard aircraft carrier operating in Red Sea

  • 2025-04-29 12:21:45

A US fighter jet and a tow tractor fell overboard an aircraft carrier operating in the Red Sea on Monday, the US military said.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor were lost after the move crew lost control of the aircraft in the hangar bay of the Truman. According to a statement, all personnel have been accounted for, and one Navy sailor sustained a minor injury. An investigation is underway.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that an F/A-18E fighter jet fell off the USS Truman while the aircraft carrier made a sharp turn to evade incoming fire from Houthi militants. The Yemeni group had previously claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against the Truman.

“The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and embarked air wing remain fully mission capable,” the Office of the Navy Chief of Information said, highlighting the Harry S. Truman, nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, three guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 28, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64).

While the US has conducted daily air and naval strikes for over five weeks, it has remained tight-lipped about the results of the campaign. Al Arabiya English first reported last week that the operations had killed at least 500 Houthi fighters, including top-tier operatives.

And despite repeated Houthi claims that it has attacked US military assets in the region, US officials have said none of the attacks had come close. That appears to have changed on Monday.

Since March, the US has also lost at least five MQ-9 Reaper drones—each valued at around $30 million. The Houthis claim to have shot them down, some of which were operated by the US Air Force while others were property of other American government agencies.

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