In the South China Sea: US fighter jet and helicopter crash in quick succession

Mysterious crashes in the South China Sea: Two US military aircraft take off from an aircraft carrier for a routine mission. But suddenly the helicopter crashes – and just half an hour later, the fighter jet also crashes. The US Navy is calling it an accident. But how could this have happened?

A fighter jet and a military helicopter launched from a US aircraft carrier crashed in the South China Sea within a short period of time. All crew members were rescued and are in stable condition, the US military's Pacific Fleet said at Platform X. The cause of both incidents is under investigation.

After taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter crashed during a routine mission on Sunday afternoon at approximately 2:45 p.m. (local time). The three crew members were rescued.

Subsequently, at approximately 3:15 p.m. (local time), the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea. It was also reportedly on a routine mission. Both crew members were rescued.

The US military did not provide any details about where exactly in the South China Sea the two crashes occurred. The US Navy regularly operates in international waters in the South China Sea, partly with the stated goal of maintaining freedom of navigation in the area through which important trade routes pass.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea for itself. However, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei also claim territory there. The United States and China's neighbors accuse Beijing of increasing militarization in the region. The International Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected Beijing's territorial claims in 2016. However, China ignores the ruling.

This isn't the first incident involving a US aircraft carrier this year. At the end of April, a fighter jet from the USS "Harry S. Truman" crashed into the Red Sea. According to the US Navy, the F/A-18E aircraft aboard the carrier was under tow when it suddenly broke free and fell overboard. A month later, another F/A-18E jet crashed while attempting to land on the same aircraft carrier. However, there were no fatalities in either incident.