On Sunday, October 26, 2025, the public affairs office of the U.S. Pacific Fleet announced that from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68), a Nimitz-class vessel operating in the South China Sea, a Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission naval helicopter and a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet carrier-based multirole aircraft crashed within 30 minutes of each other. All five crew members from both aircraft were successfully rescued.
From the deck of the USS Nimitz, operating in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, August 24, 2025 / Photo: U.S. Navy
CSG-11 Safely Recovers Five Crew Members from Downed Aircraft.
South China Sea – On October 26, 2025 at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members.
Following the incident, separately, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 also went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from Nimitz. Both crew members successfully ejected and were also safely recovered by search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11.
All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition.
The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.
US Pacific Fleet
The USS Nimitz is currently carrying out its final operational deployment in the Indo-Pacific region before its planned retirement in March 2026, following 51 years of service. In August, the carrier was stationed in Bahrain and was later redeployed to the Pacific Ocean, transiting through waters claimed by the People’s Republic of China. The vessel is now en route to its home port of Kitsap, Washington.
Recently, the U.S. Navy has lost several aircraft. On July 31 of this year, a Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier-based multirole fighter from VFA-125 Rough Raiders crashed near NAS Lemoore, California – the pilot safely ejected.
Meanwhile, from December last year until now, the Navy has lost four Super Hornets and one Growler, including three assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), operating in the Red Sea:
- On May 6 and April 28 of this year, two aircraft went overboard – the first, a single-seat F/A-18E, after a failed landing, and the second, a two-seat F/A-18F from VFA-136 Knighthawks, along with a deck tractor, when the carrier performed an evasive maneuver during a Houthi attack. Earlier, on December 22 last year, the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) accidentally shot down an F/A-18F that had just taken off from the carrier. It was later revealed that another Super Hornet may also have fallen victim to friendly fire.
- On August 20 this year, an F/A-18E from VFA-83 Rampagers crashed off the coast of Virginia.
- On February 12 this year, an EA-18G Growler from VAQ-130 Black Ravens, specializing in electronic warfare and air-defense suppression, crashed in the waters of San Diego Bay.
In all cases, the aircrews were successfully rescued.
As for the MH-60R Seahawk, this was the third crash of this helicopter type in the history of its service with the U.S. Navy. The previous incidents occurred on January 11, 2024, in San Diego Bay (the six-person crew was rescued), and on April 27, 2017, near Guam, shortly after takeoff from the Arleigh Burke–class destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) (the three-person crew was also rescued). Outside the U.S. Navy, only Australia has lost a single MH-60R – on October 13, 2021.
from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members.
Following the incident, separately, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks”— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025
All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition.
The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) October 26, 2025