The US Navy’s $60 million fighter jet was lost in the Red Sea after it fell from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
According to CNN, the US Navy, in a statement on Monday, April 28, 2025, confirmed the loss of an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet while being towed on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
A US official in an initial report revealed that the Truman made a hard turn to avoid Houthi fire, causing the fighter jet to fall overboard, while another added that the aircraft had sunk.
Investigation underway
The US Navy stated, “The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard. Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”
The Navy further added that all the personnel on board are safe, while one sailor sustained a minor injury.
Notably, the exact details of the turn that Truman made to avoid Houthi fire are not released yet, but the pictures of the vessel available on the Defense Department’s website show that the ship can tilt sharply during a high-speed turn.
Furthermore, the Houthi rebel group on Monday claimed that they have launched a drone and missile attack on the aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea as part of a US military operation against the Iran-backed group.
