An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet rolled off the side of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and sank into the Red Sea during a towing operation, the U.S. Navy confirmed on Monday.
The incident occurred while the $70 million aircraft was being moved out of the hangar bay. According to officials, the towing crew lost control, causing both the jet and the tow tractor to plunge overboard.
There were two enlisted crew members involved at the time — one aboard the jet and another operating the tow tractor. Both personnel managed to jump clear of the aircraft in time, with only one sustaining minor injuries.
“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,” the Navy said in a statement. “Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”
The USS Harry S. Truman has been stationed in the Red Sea since September, deployed to help safeguard commercial shipping lanes amid near-daily attacks by Houthi rebels operating out of Yemen.
Though the precise cause of the mishap remains under investigation, an initial field report suggested the carrier may have experienced sudden movement — possibly linked to a Houthi attack — which might have contributed to the crew losing control. However, that theory has not been confirmed.
The Truman has had a troubled deployment. Earlier this year, the carrier was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel near the Suez Canal, resulting in the dismissal of its commanding officer.
Originally scheduled to return home last month, the ship’s deployment was extended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also ordered the USS Carl Vinson to join operations in the region to reinforce U.S. naval presence.
