Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

A US Navy helicopter and fighter jet crashed within minutes of each other during separate routine operations over the South China Sea on Sunday, with all crew members safely rescued, according to the Navy’s Pacific Fleet.
The Navy confirmed that an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter went down at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time while operating from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Search and rescue teams quickly located and recovered the three crew members. About thirty minutes later, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also crashed during routine operations from the same carrier. Both pilots successfully ejected and were safely retrieved.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of both incidents. President Donald Trump described the back-to-back crashes as “very unusual,” suggesting a possible fuel issue while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Malaysia to Japan. “They think it might be bad fuel. We’re gonna find out. Nothing to hide,” he said.
The dual crashes occurred over one of the world’s most contested waterways, where multiple nations claim sovereignty. China asserts control over nearly the entire South China Sea, despite an international tribunal ruling against its claims. The United States has maintained a consistent naval presence in the region to support freedom of navigation and challenge China’s territorial assertions.
The USS Nimitz, one of the largest and oldest carriers in the US fleet, is expected to retire next year. The F/A-18F incident marks the fourth Super Hornet lost by the Navy this year, following earlier crashes in the Red Sea and off the coast of Virginia.
The accidents came as President Trump continues his diplomatic tour in Asia, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week amid renewed trade negotiations and efforts to ease recent economic tensions between Washington and Beijing.


