On Monday, the U.S. Navy announced that the aircraft carrier responsible for launching attacks against Houthi militants in the Red Sea lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet that went overboard.
The USS Harry S. Truman experienced the loss of the fighter jet along with a tow tractor while navigating the extensive waterway.
The fighter jet was being towed in a hangar bay when the crew lost control of it. The aircraft, along with the tow equipment, fell overboard and was subsequently lost, stated the Navy.
Sailors handling the towing operation took “immediate action” to distance themselves from the aircraft just before it plunged into the water, as per Navy reports.
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An F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet is captured landing on the USS Harry S. Truman’s deck during a NATO drill in May 2022. (Andreas Solero/AFP via Getty Images)
All crew members were accounted for, although one sailor did suffer minor injuries. An investigation into what happened is currently underway.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Navy for further details.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is valued at around $67.4 million, according to Navy Air Systems Command.
This incident isn’t the first time a jet has fallen off the USS Harry S. Truman. In July 2022, an F/A-18 Super Hornet was lost at sea near Naples, Italy, after it was unexpectedly blown overboard by strong winds.
In a separate incident in December 2024, another F/A-18 Super Hornet was reportedly shot down above the Red Sea during a “friendly fire” incident, according to the U.S. military at that time.
Despite this latest loss, officials stated that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which is a coalition of U.S. warships in the Red Sea, and its air wing remain fully operational.
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This photo depicts an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea prior to airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday, March 15. (U.S. Navy via AP)
The strike group is made up of the Truman aircraft carrier, nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, three guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron 28, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg.
The aircraft carrier has been conducting operations in the Red Sea, targeting Houthi insurgents in Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi group has claimed responsibility for attacking the USS Harry S. Truman and its escort ships in recent weeks, in addition to threats against merchant vessels in the Red Sea.
Houthi fighters are shown beside U.S. President Donald Trump. (AP Images/Getty Images)
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The attacks have intensified since President Donald Trump initiated a military campaign against the Houthis on March 15. The group has also targeted vessels in the Red Sea to express solidarity with Hamas following its assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to recent updates from U.S. Central Command, the U.S. military has struck over 800 targets since mid-March in a campaign aimed at neutralizing the Houthis.
This report was contributed to by Fox News Digital’s Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press.
