Published: 12:27, October 27, 2025
US Navy helicopter and fighter jet in separate South China Sea crashes
By Agencies
Handout released by US Defence Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on June 11, 2025 shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducting flight operations in South China Sea, May 28, 2025. (PHOTO / AFP)

A US helicopter and fighter jet separately crashed in the South China Sea on Sunday, with the incidents occurring 45 minutes apart.

A Sea Hawk helicopter went down about 2:45 pm “while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz,” the US Navy said in a post on X. A Navy official said no details on the location of the carrier would be provided due to operational security.

READ MORE: US Navy helicopter crashes off San Diego coast, 5 missing

The carrier strike group was in the South China Sea region on the final leg of its deployment before heading back to the US West Coast, according to US Naval Institute News, which tracks carrier groups.

Then, at about 3:15 pm, an F/A-18F Super Hornet also crashed, the Navy said on Monday, adding all five people involved in the accidents were safe and investigations were underway. It was unclear where the incidents occurred and no details have been released yet for the suspected causes of the incidents.