On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) reported the loss of a Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter off the coast of Oman. The crew was rescued.
Photoe: US Army
At 7:33 p.m. ET on June 8, two crew members from a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache were rescued by American forces after their helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters.
The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Rescue efforts were led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with support from U.S. Air Force and Navy units including U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59.
CENTCOM
This is the first loss of an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter since the United States began military operations against Iran on February 28 this year in the Strait of Hormuz area. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that the crew members were unharmed. “The crew members are safe,” Trump told reporters.
AH-64 helicopters are being used extensively to protect merchant vessels and to counter drones and small boats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
So far, there has been no confirmation that the helicopter was shot down by the Iranians. Technical failure, human error, or other factors are being considered. An investigation is under way.
According to a Congressional Research Service report dated May 13 this year, a total of 42 U.S. aircraft have been lost or damaged in the war with Iran, including 24 MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (another one was lost over Iraq yesterday during the Iranian-Israeli exchange of fire, not included in the report ‒ editor’s note), and one MQ-4C Triton.
These losses are in addition to crewed aircraft: three F-15E Strike Eagles, mistakenly shot down in Kuwait; one F-15E, shot down by Iran; one A-10C+ Thunderbolt II, shot down by Iran; one E-3G Sentry AWACS, destroyed in Saudi Arabia by Iran, plus multiple damaged KC-135 Stratotankers; one KC-135 Stratotanker, which crashed over Iraq, with a second damaged; one damaged F-35A Lightning II over Iran; two MC-130J Commando IIs, blown up in Iran together with two MH-6 Little Birds; two damaged MH-60G Pave Hawks over Iran; and one CH-47 Chinook, destroyed by Iran in Kuwait.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026
UPDATE
Donald Trump revealed that the AH-64 Apache was indeed shot down.
I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP
See also